




























































HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 


53d Congress, 
3d /Session . 


( Repoei 
( No. 1851. 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS OF THE GOVERN¬ 
MENT AT WASHINGTON. 


February 18, 1895.—Ordered to be printed. 




Mr. Dockery, from the Joint Commission of Congress to Inquire into the Status of 
Laws Organizing the Executive Departments, submitted the following 

REPORT: 

The Joint Commission of Congress to Inquire into the Status of Laws Organizing 
the Executive Departments, etc., addressed a communication to the head of each of 
the Executive Departments and other establishments of the Government situated in 
the District of Columbia, as follows: 

House of Representatives United States, 

Washington, D. C., January 24,1895. 


Sir : I have the honor to request that you will, for the information of the Joint Commission of Con¬ 
gress to Inquire into Laws Organizing the Executive Departments, etc., send me at your earliest con¬ 
venience a statement as to the condition of the business of the , showing whether any part 

of the same is in arrears; if so, in what offices or bureaus of the such arrears exist, the extent 

thereof, and the reasons therefor. 

Very respectfully, Alex. M. Dockery, 

Chairman, Joint Commission, etc. 

In response to this request replies have been received from the various Depart¬ 
ments and independent establishments of the Government, which, for the information 
of Congress, are submitted as an appendix herewith, together with the following synopsis 
thereof: 

State Department: 19 bureaus; work practically up to date. 

War Department: 13 bureaus, 80 divisions; work up to date with the exception of 
one division in the office of the Judge-Advocate-General and the Property Division of 
the office of the Chief of Ordnance. 

Treasury Department: 23 bureaus, 121 divisions, of which 19 are in arrears, as fol¬ 
lows: 

Secretary’s Office, division of customs, division of stationery, printing, and blanks, 
and chief clerk and superintendent’s office. 

Secret Service Division (work relating to custody of contraband property in arrears). 

Bureau of the Mint. (Bullion accounts of mints and assay office in arrears “ some 
months.”) 

Office of Supervising Architect, engraving and drafting division in arrears. 

Auditor for the War Department, military division. (Delay caused by moving files 
and inexperience of new clerks.) Pay and bounty division. (About eighteen months 
in arrears; same condition for past ten years.) ; 

Auditor for the Interior Department, Indian division. (This work has been very 
much in arrears for a number of years, yet has of late, liowe\ er, been brought up to a 
much closer date. The transfer of the accounts from a division of the Second Auditor’s 
office to the Auditor for the Interior Department has made no perceptible addition to 
the arrearage. The Indian service has been increasing without any increase in the 











2 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


clerical force to do the accounting work; still, the Auditor says in his report that “ the 
condition of the work in the Indian division is improving daily, and 1 hope by the end 
of this calendar year to have the work practically up to date.”) 

Auditor for the Post-Office Department, money order section, 3 divisions, are in 
arrears, partly on account of the congested condition that resulted from the very large 
increase in business by reason of the increased number of money-order offices without 
any increase in the force, and on account of the fact that the work had in previous 
years been very much iu arrears. The office has been given additional clerks, relieved 
from other branches by reason of recent changes in the system at the instance ot this 
Commission, where a less number of clerks would suffice, to bring up the back work, 
and the reduction in the arrearage gives reason to believe that it will, within a reason¬ 
able time, be overcome. Legislation was enacted during the last session which pro- , 
vided for the disposal of old money orders more than 10 years old, which has tended to 
relieve the files of and the work incident to assorting the money orders. 

Treasurer’s office, division of accounts. 

Office Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 3 divisions in arrears. 

Post-Office Department: 5 bureaus and 23 divisions, none of which are in arrears. 

The business of the Post Office Department shows that although during the last two 
years there has been a very material increase in the business of the Department, caused 
by the establishment of new post-offices and new money-order offices, etc., yet by a 
careful business management the work has been brought up to date without an increase 
■)f clerical force. 

Department of Justice: 2 bureaus and 1 division, which is in arrears on account of 
the work of examining accounts of marshals, clerks, etc., required by the legislation 
affecting the accounting system of the Treasury Department. The Attorney General's ’ 
office, through a mistake as to the number of clerks required upon this work, estimated 
for 10 less than they should have had. The additional clerks therefor have since been 
appropriated for and the work is very rapidly being brought up, and will, in a very 
short time, be up to date. 

Department of the Navy: 15 bureaus, 3 of which are in arrears. 

Department of the Interior: 10 bureaus, 114 divisions, of which 22 are in arrears, 
as follows: 

Secretary’s Office, division of appointments, division of lands and railroads, division 
of patents and miscellaneous; Board of Pension Appeals, First Division. 

Office of the Assistant Attorney-General. (The arrears are about one year. Not¬ 
withstanding an increase in the number of cases filed for action in this office, there is 
reported to be fewer cases on hand for action now than there was two years ago. By 
the 4th ot March, 1897, it is expected that the division will report that it is in no degree 
in arrears with its work.) 

General Land Office, 11 divisions. The character of the work in arrears is shown 
under each. 

The necessity for transcribing press-copy books to permanent records is questioned; 
for a cursory inspection of these books discloses the fact that they are generally legible 
and in very good condition. But assuming that it is necessary that they should be 
transcribed, the work should be done with typewriter machines, simply copying the 
matter on letter sheets to be bound in volumes for preservation. The Department esti¬ 
mates that it would require 80 copyists two and one-half years to do this work. The Com¬ 
mission submit that, at a very low estimate, the average rate of speed for typewriting 
would be, say, 25 words a minute; and assuming that there are 150 words per page in the 
letter books reported upon, working G hours a day and 250 days a year, it would require 
the services ot 57 clerks one year, being but little over a quarter of what is stated by the 
Commissioner ot the General Land Office to be necessary to bring up the work. 


fi % 
MJ0 7 ,Q1 ? 

I 



(VI 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


b 




Office of Indian Affairs, 4 divisions in arrears. The accounts division has brought 
up its work so as to be within the requirements of the act of July 31, 1894, affecting 
^ the accounting system in the Treasury Department. 

Bureau ot Pensions, 1 division, that of special examination, being more than one 
year in arrears. 

Depat tment of Agriculture: 23 bureaus, 34 divisions, 9 of which are in arrears; 
being the division ol botany,division of economic ornithology and mammalogy, division 
of pomology, division ot chemistry, division ot records and editing; Weather Bureau; 
4 divisions. 

It is reported that the arrears in this Department are not to any appreciable extent, 
certain details only of the work being a few weeks behind, and that in nearly every 
instance the remedy to overcome the arrearage has been already applied, and that the 
work will be fully kept up to date in the future. 

Department of Labor: Up to date. 

Cnited states Civil Service Commission: Is slightly in arrears, principally on 
account of the large recent increase in the employees in the classified service. 

United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries: 3 bureaus and 9 divisions, up to 

date. 

Interstate Commerce Commission : Up to date. 

Government Printing Office: 27 divisions, one of which, the Bindery, is in arrears on 
account of the working space being inadequate. 

Government of the District of Columbia: 21 bureaus and 24 divisions, 4 of which are 
slightly in arrears, namely, in the executive office, inspector of buildings and property 
clerk, engineer’s office, water department, distribution branch, and water department, 
revenue inspection branch. 

National Museum: 1 bureau and 4 divisions, one of which, the scientific staff, is in 
arrears. 

Library of Congress: Up to date. 

Astrophysical Observatory: Up to date. 

Bureau of Ethnology: Up to date. 

Bureau of International Exchanges: Up to date. 

Zoological ParTc: Up to date. 

Some of the Government establishments uned at the end of the report, beginning 
with the Library of Congress, were not called upon for reports, as it was assumed that 
their work, from its nature, was up to date. 


Status of work in bureaus and divisions of the various Executive Departments at Washington. 

STATE DEPARTMENT. 



Bureaus. 

Divisions. 

Arrears. 

Office of the Secretary of State. 

1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 








19 







Work practically up to date. 


















































CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 

Status of work in bureaus and divisions of the various Executive Departments at Washington— Continued. 

WAR DEPARTMENT. 


Office of the Secretary of War. 

Office of the Secretary. 

Office of the Assistant Secretary .. 

Chief clerk’s office. 

Disbursing clerk’s office. .- - 

Record diivsion.. 

Correspondence division... -... — 
Requisition and accounts division 


Bureaus. 


Total. 


Record and Pension Office. 

Administrative division. 

Correspondence division... 

Reference division. 

Deserters’ division. 

Medical division. 

Mail division. 

Rolls division.-. 

Division of discontinued commands. 

Enrollment division... 

Bounty and claims division. 

Files division. 

Prisoners of war division. 

Seventeenth street division. 

Tenth street branch.. 


Total. 


Office of the Adjutant-General. 

Chief clerk’s office. 

Military Academy division. 

Mail, books, and blanks division. 

Military prisoners’ division. 

Confederate archives division. 

Military information division.. 

General correspondence division. 

Principal record division. 

Orders division. 

Appointment, personal, and commission division. 

Recruiting division....-... 

Regular Army rolls division. 

Returns division. 


Divisions. 


Arrears. 


1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 

P" 

14 .. 


Total. 


Office of the Inspector-General. 

Record division. 

Financial division. 

Reports division. 


Total. 


Office of the Judge-Advocate-General (in arrears “consequent upon the assignment thereto 
during the past few years of new kinds of business and an increasing volume ot the old 
lines of business during the same periodrequire 1 clerk four years to bring up arrears;.. 

Office of the Quartermaster-General. 

Chief clerk's office.. 

Finance branch.-. 

Money and property accounts. 

Clothing and equipage returns. 

Transportation. 

Regular supplies. 

Clothing supply. 

Barracks and quarters. 

Inspection. 

Records, files, and claims.. . 

Reservation. 

Claims (under act of July 4, 1864). 

Cemeterial. 

Mail and record. 

Construction and repair. 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 . 
1 . 

13 . 


Total. 


Office of the Commissary-General of Subsistence. 

Office of the Commissary-General of Subsistenc e. 

Miscellaneous division. 

Accounts and returns division. 

Claims division. 

Contract division. 


Total. 


Office of the Surgeon-General. 

Administrative division. 

Sanitary and miscellaneous division. 

Museum and library division. 

Property division. 

Disbursing division. 


Finance division. 


15 


Total. 




















































































































































































































CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


5 


Status of work in bureaus and divisions of the various Executive Departments at Washington —Continued. 

WAR DEPARTMENT—Continued. 


Office of the Paymaster-General. 

Chief clerk’s office. 

Correspondence division... 

Examining division. 

Finance division. 

Recording division. 

Revising division. 

Total. 

Office of the Chief of Engineers.. 

Chief clerk’s office. 

First division. 

Second and fifth divisions... 

Third division. 

Fourth division.. 

Record division. 

Total. 

Office of the Chief of Ordnance.. 

Office of chief clerk. 

Archives division. 

Accounts and claims division. 

Property division (“about 2,000 property returns 

clerk one year to bring up arrears). 

Total. 

Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 

Office of publication of records of the rebellion.. 

Total, War Department. 


Bureaus. 


awaiting examinationrequire 1 


Divisions. 


13 


Arrears. 


80 


TREASURY DEPARTMENT. 


Secretary’s Office and miscellaneous roll. 

Division of appointments.-.*. 

Division of bookkeeping and warrants.-. 

Division of public moneys............. 

Division of customs (correspondence is “unavoidably in arrears—insufficient force)... 

Miscellaneous division. 

Division of loans and currency. 

Division of revenue-cutter service.-• - - -; • • - - • - - - ■ 

Division of stationery, printing, and blanks (failure of contractor to furnish official 
envelopes, delay in printing caused thereby; large amount of printing under new tariff 

law and reorganization of bureaus). 

Division of special agents.-...... 

Division of mail and files .....• -. V ‘,7 ‘1 

Chief clerk’s and superintendent’s office (work of one draftsman three weeks behind 

because “ amount of work ” is * * * beyond the capacity of one man). 

Disbursing clerks. 


Total. 


Secret Service Division (work relating to oustody and record of contraband property in 

arrears; clerk in charge called to other duty—five or six months in arrears). 

Buieau of the Mint (bullion accounts of mints and assay offices in arrears “some months 
because of two reports—one is prepared by fiscal and the other by calendar years; also 

frequent calls for information and statistics). 

Supervising Inspector-General of Steam Vessels. 


Supervising Surgeon-General Marine-Hospital Service 
Division of hospital relief and general service. 


Purveying division. 

Quarantine division. ; - 

Division of sanitary reports and statistics. 
Division of biology and chemistry. 


13 


Total.. 

Bureau of Statistics. 

General Superintendent of the Life-Saving Service 
Light-House Board...... 

Office of Supervising Architect. 

Supervising Architect’s Office. 

Law aud contract division. . 

Engraving and drafting division (considerably 

Tracers’ division... 

Computers’ division...... 

Construction division. 

Repairs division. 

Accounts division.. 

Records and files division. 

Copyists’ division.. 

Photographers’ division-.. .... 

Assistant and chief clerks’ division. 


in arrears, insufficient force) 



Total 











































































































































































6 CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 

Status of work in bureaus and divisions of the various Executive Departments at Washington— Continued. 

TREASURY DEPARTMENT—Continued. 


Comptroller of the Treasury 


Register of the Treasury. 

Office of the Register. 

Loan division. 

Note, coupon, and currency division 


Total. 


Auouoi for the Treasury Department- 

Office of the Auditor. 

Customs division. 

Public debt division.. 

Miscellaneous division. 

Internal revenue division. 


Total. 


Auuitor for the War Department. 

Office of Auditor. 

Archives division.. 

Review division.. 

Mail and property division....-- r - - --. 

Paymaster, ordnance, and medical division.;•■•••....*.;. 

Military division (“ slightly in arrears”—delay in moving files and inexperience of new 

cltirks) ...... ••••••• 

Pay and bounty division (about eighteen months in arrears—same condition for past 

fen years). 


Bureaus. 


Divisions. 


Total. 


Auditor for the Interior Department. 

Office of Auditor.. 

Army and navy pension division.—-- - --• - ..... 

Indian division (790 cash accounts, 460 property accounts, and 518 claims of contrac¬ 
tors, etc., awaiting action—largely in arrears when division was organized). 

Land, files and miscellaneous division. 


Total. 


Auditor for the Navy Department... 

Office of Auditor. 

Navy pay and allotment division. 

Paymasters’ division. 

Record and claims division. 


Total. 


Auditor for the State and other Departments. 

Office of Auditor. 

Miscellaneous division. 

Diplomatic and consular division. 

Division of judicial accounts. 


Total. 


Auditor for the Post-Office Department... 

Office of the Auditor. 

Assorting and checking division.. 

Inspecting division.. 

Recording division (these three divisions constitute the money-order branch, and are 
about one year in arrears. Number of money-order offices doubled in fiscal year 1893; 

large arrears in past). 

Bookkeeping division. 

Collecting division. 

Foreign division. 

Pay division. 


Total. 


Treasurer’s Office. 

Treasurer’s Office.. 

Chief clerk’s office.. 

Division of accounts (Treasurer’s quarterly report five quarters, and post-office work 

seven quarters behind. Absence or illness of employees). 

Division of national banks. . 

Loan division. 

Redemption division... 

Division of issues. . 

National bank redemption agency. 


Total. 


Office of Commissioner of Internal Revenue. 

Commissioner's Office. 

Division of appointments. 

Division of law. 

Division of distilled spirits (two and one-half months in arrears—insufficient force). 

Division of tobacco. 

Division of stamps.. 


Arrears. 
















































































































































































CONDITION OP BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS, 


7 


Status of work in bureaus and divisions of the various Executive Departments at Washington —Continued. 

TREASURY DEPARTMENT—Continued. 



Bureaus. 

Divisions. 

Arrears. 

Office of Commissioner of Internal Revenue—Continued. 

Division of assessments (recordof monthly returns “much in arrears”; clerk in charge 
resigned in 1893—still vacant). 


1 

1 

Division of accounts. 


3 

1 


Division of revenue agents (small part of work in arrears). 


1 

Division of sugar bounty. 


1 

Division of chemistry... 


i 





Total. 

1 

u 

3 



Bureau of Navigation... 

1 







United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. 

1 



Superintendent’s Office. 

1 


Assistant in charge. 


1 


Office hydrographic inspector. 


1 


Naval paymaster. 


] 


Computing division. 


1 


Drawing division (falling behind; insufficient force). 


1 

1 

Engraving division (falling behind; insufficient force) . 


1 

1 

Instrument division... 


1 

Tidal division. 


1 


Chart division (falling behind; insufficient force) . 


J 

1 

Miscellaneous division. 


1 

Library and archives division.... 


] 


Standard weights and measures. 


1 


San Francisco suboffice. 


i 






1 

14 

3 




Bureau of Engraving and Printing. 

1 



Office of Superintendent. 


1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 







1 

15 






1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 







1 

8 



23 

121 

19 




POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT. 



i 





i 




i 




i 




i 



i 

4 



i 





1 




1 




1 




1 




1 




1 



i 

6 



i 



Office ot toe oeconu Assistant i ostniaatei vrt>m .. 


1 




1 




1 




1 




1 



i 

5 







H. Bep. 2-35 























































































































































































8 CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 

Status of u'Oi k in bureaus and divisions of the various Executive Departments at Washinf/ton— Continued. 

POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT—Continued. 



Bureaus. 

Divisions. 

Arrears. 


i 

1 

0(Hc6 uf tlic Tliiid Assistant Postmaster G cncrnl 


i 


Office of Hit) Hi nil Assistant X ostmastor General • • *.■ 


i 




i 




i 



i 

4 



i 



OlliC© ox tne r our Mi .AsSisuam x ub cm as ici t/Utu .... .- -- -- -- -- - 


1 




1 




1 



. 

1 







i 

4 



5 

23 j. 



1 


DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 



1 




1 

1 


1 




2 

1 

1 



DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY. 


Office of the Secretary. 

Bureau of Navigation (roll of officers one year behind; also permanent record of “letters 

sent;” records of enlisted men one year liehiud).. 

Bureau of Yards and Docks.. 

Bureau of Equipment. 

Bureau of Ordnance ..... 

Bureau of Steam Engineering... 

Bureau of Supplies and Accounts.-. 

Bureau of Construction and Repair... 

Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. 

Office of Judge-Advocate-General (record of summary courts-martial three years behind; 

insufficient force). 

Nautical Almanac Office. 

Library and Naval War Records Office. 

Naval Observatory. 

Hydrographic Office. 

Office of Naval Intelligence (compilation and distribution of information from abroad in 
arrears; insufficient force)... 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 


1 


1 


1 


Total, Department of the Navy 


15 


3 


DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. 


Office of the Secretary.-.. 

Secretary’s room. 

First Assistant Secretary’s room. 

Assistant Secretary’s room.. 

Chief clerk’s room.... 

Division of appointments (indexing miscellaneous letters in arrears). 

Division of finance.. 

Division of lands and railroads (nine months). 

Division of Indian affairs. 

Division of patents and miscellaneous (transcribing “letters sent” in arrears). 

Board of Pension Appeals— 

First division (1,000 appeals, etc., pending). 

Second division.. 

Third division... 

Division of public documents (one month in arrears). 

Division of stationery and printing. 

Custodian’s branch.". 

Library. 

Superintendent’s branch and miscellaneous. 

Total. 

Office of the Assistant Attorney-General. 

Office of Assistant Attorney-General (in arrears about one year; large increase of work 
and smallpox invasion)..’ 


If 


1 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 


1 


1 


1 


1 


1 


1 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 


1 


1 



Total 




















































































































































CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS, 


9 


Status of work in bureaus and divisions of the various Executive Departments at Washington —Continued. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR—Continued. 


Bureaus. 


Divisions. 


Arrears. 


General Land Office... 1 

Chief clerk’s division. 

Recorder's division (3,000 patents to be written). 

Division of public lands (1,500 unanswered letters and 19,510 nnadjudicated land cases). 

Division of privato land claims (5,878 claims and cases pending). 

Division of public surveys (188 returns from examiners and surveyors-general pending). 

Division of railroads (several years in arrears). 

Division of preemptions (8,027 entries and cases pending). 

Division of contests (976 contests pending). 

Division of swamp lands (in arrears)... 

Division of drafting (in arrears). 

Division of accounts. 

Division of mineral claims (1,492 entries on suspended files). 

Division of special service (much in arrears; insufficient force). 

Messengers, assistant messengers, etc. 

Transcribing press-copy books to permanent records, estimated to require 80 copyists two 
and a half years; insufficient force. 



Total 


1 14 


11 


Office of Indian Affairs. 

Commissioner.. 

Assistant Commissioner.. 

Education division (in arrears).. 

Accounts division. 

Finance division (slightly in arrears on account of insufficient force) 

Files division (not badly in arrears). 

Land division (2 additional clerks required to bring up arrears). 


1 . 

1 . 

1 1 

1 . 

1 1 
1 1 
1 1 


Total 


1 7 4 


Bureau of Pensions. 1 

Commissioner. 

First deputy commissioner. 

Deputy commissioner.... 

Chief clerk’s division. 

Appointment division. 

Board of review. 

Board of revision. 

Medical. 

Law... 

Special examination (more than 1 year in arrears; insufficient force).. 

Finance. 

Eastern. 

Middle. 

Western. 

Southern.. 

Old War and Navy. 

Army and Navy survivors. 

Certificate.-. 

Record. 

Stationery. 

Mail. 

Superintendent’s. . 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 


1 


Total 


1 22 1 


Patent Office.-. 1 

Office of Commissioner. 

Office of chief clerk.-. 

Mail room No. 1. 

Mail room No. 2... 

Application room.-.-•••- 

Attorney's room. 

Interference records. 

Financial clerk.-.. . ... 

Model halls.. 

Scientific library. 

Issue and Gazette. 

Board of appeals...-. 

Interference division. 

Draftsman division... 

Assignment and copying.-. 

Tillage and fences. 

Farm stock, products, etc. 

Metallurgy, metal founding, etc.■>. 

Civil engineering. 

Fine arts, stationery, etc. 

Chemistry, medicines, etc. 

Harvesters, games, and toys.-. 

Furniture, toilet, umbrellas, etc.-. 

Hydraulic, etc... 

Carriages and wagons, railway cars, etc.-. 

Boots and shoes, etc.- t . 

Mechanical engineering, store service, etc... 

Metal working, arms, and projectiles, etc.-. 

Metal bending, wireworkiug, etc. 

Plastics, paper making, etc .... 

Telegraphy, telephony, electric lighting, etc. 

Paper manufacturing and printing..... 

Steam engineering. 

Stoves and furnaces.... 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 


H. Eep. 1851-2 










































































































































































10 CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 

Status of work in bureaus and divisions of the various Executive Departments at Washington— Continued. 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR—Continued. 


Patent Office— Continued. 

Builders’ hardware, cutlery, safes, etc. 

Textiles, etc. 

Firearms, navigation, signals, etc.. 

Instruments of precision, acoustics, optics. 

Sewing machines, apparel, designs, etc... 

Artesian and oil wells, butchering, mills and thrashing. 

Electricity, generation, distribution, etc. 

Brushing and scrubbing, laundry, etc.. 

Pneumatics, refrigeration, air and gas engines, etc. 

Woodworking machines, carpentry, etc. 

Lamps, gas fitting, typewriting, eto. 

Gas, painting, leather, tanning, alcohol, etc. 

Advertising, baggage, packing and storing vessels, etc. 
Messengers, assistant messengers, etc.— 

Total. . 

Office of Education.. 

Correspondence and records.. 

Statistics. 

International exchanges.. 

Library and museum. 

Education in Alaska.. 

Laborers, etc. 

Total. 

Office of Commissioner of Railroads.. 

Geological Survey.. 

Director’s office. 

Division of accounts. 

Library and documents.. 

Editorial division. 

Miscellaneous division. 

Division of illustrations. 

Photographic laboratory. 

Engraving division. 

Geographic branch, eastern division. 

Geographic branch, western division. 

Geologic branch. 

Division of paleontology. 

Division of chemistry. 

Division of mining statistics. 

Division of skilled labor. 

Watchmen, laborers, messengers, etc. 

Total. 

Census Office. 


Bureaus. 


Divisions. 


Arrears. 


etc 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 



1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 


1 6 


1 


1 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 




1 11 


1 


Superintendent’s branch. 

Population. 

Manufactures. 

Agriculture. 

Farms, homes, and mortgages. 

Vital statistics.. 

Social statistics. 

Wealth, debt, and taxation. 

Printing and stationery. 

Revision and results. 

Messengers, watchmen, etc. 

Total.. 

Total, Department of the Interior 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 


Office of the Secretary. 

1 



Office of the Secretary. 

l 

l 


Carpenters, painters, messengers, etc. 



Total. 



1 

2 


Division of accounts and disbursements. 


1 



Division of statistics. 



l 



Statutory. 

1 

1 


Temporary (under general appropriations). 



Total..... 



1 

♦) 


Division of botany. 


. 

l 



Statutory. 

1 

1 

1 

Temporary (under general appropriations. Preparation of reports m arrears; insufficient 
force). 


Total. 



1 

2 

1 


































































































































































































CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 11 


Status of icork in bureaus and divisions of the various Executive Departments at Washington —Continued. 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE—Continued. 


Bureaus. 


Divisions. Arrears. 


Division of entomology. 

Statutory. 

Temporary (under general appropriations). 


Total. 


Division of economic ornithology and mammalogy. 

Statutory (Bulletin No. 6 in arrears; large increase of work). 
Temporary (under general appropriations). 


Total. 


Division of pomology. 

Statutory (printing in arrears; insufficient force) 
Temporary (under general appropriations). 


Total. 


Division of microscopy. 

Statutory. 

Temporary (under general appropriations). 


Total. 


Division of vegetable pathology.. 

Statutory... 

Temporary (under general appropriations) 


Total. 


Division of chemistry.. 

Statutory (slightly in arrears). 

Temporary (under general appropriations) 


Total. 


Division of forestry. 

Statutory. 

Temporary (under general appropriations) 


Total. 


Division of records and editing (slightly in arrears—large amount of work and reduction in 

force).'. 

Divisions of illustrations. 


Division of seeds. 

St atutory. 

Temporary (under general appropriations)... 

Printing office, temporary (under general appropriations). 

Total. 

Document and folding room. 


Experimental gardens and grounds. 

Statutory . 

Temporary (under general appropriations) 


Total. 


Museum. 

Statutory.. 

Temporary (under general appropriations). 


Total. 


Office of irrigation inquiry . 

Office of road inquiry. 

Office of fiber investigation. 


Bureau of Animal Industry. 

Statutory.- - -. 

Temporary (under general appropriations) 


Total. 

Office of agricultural experiment stations. 


We ForecaMdfvision (in arrears; large amount of work on examinations for positions ol 

professor and forecast official, and reduction of force)-- — --- - • --■ •••• • 

Division of records and meteorological data (in arrears; reduction of force by transler 


Publications^division (in arrears about one month; absence of employees; increased 


work; lack of manuscript). . . . ,_ 

Office of assistant stationery and property clerk (in arrears; nature of work). 
Temporary (under general appropriations). 


Total. 

Total. Department of Agriculture. 


23 


1 I. 
1 . 
1 . 


34 






















































































































































































12 CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 

Status of work in bureaus and divisions of the various Executive Departments at Washington Continued, 

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. 



Bureaus. 

Divisions. 

Arrears 










UNITED STATES CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION. 


United States Civil Service Commission (somewhat in arrears owing to increase in amount j 


1 





UNITED STATES COMMISSION OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



1 




1 

1 



1 

1 . 

3 . 


1 



1 . 



1 

1 

1 

1 

1 








Total. 1 

6 


Total, United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries. 

3 

9 



INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION. 









GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 




1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 




































. 























Paper w a reroom. 



Sweepers' room. 






Messengers’ room. 



Bindery (considerably in arrears; lack of working space and appropriation). 


1 

Total, Government Printing Office. 



27 

1 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Library of Congress. 









































































































































































CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 13 

Status of tvorlc in bureaus and divisions of the various Executive Departments at Washington —Continued. 

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 


Executive otlice. 

Office of Commissioners. 

Inspector of buildings (in arrears; insufficient force) 

Property clerk (in arrears; insufficient force). 

Inspector of plumbing.. 

Harbor master. 

Total. 

Assessor's office. 

Tax division.. 

Special assessment division. 

Total. 

Surveyor’s office. 

Board of revision, equalization, and appeals. 

Collector of taxes. 

Auditor’s office........ 

Attorney’s office. 

Coroner8 office. 

Market masters. 

Fire department. 

Telegraph and telephone service. 

Health department. 

Police courts.\.. 

Washington Asylum. 

Sealer of weights and measures. 

Street and alley cleaning service. 

Inspectors ana measurers of wood and lumber. 

Inspectors of flour..... 


Bureaus.! Divisions. Arrears. 



1 . 

1 1 
1 1 

1 . 

1 . 


5 



r 


i ;. 
i . 

1 

i . 
i . 


Engineer’s office. 1 

Record division. 

Surface division: Permanent. 

Temporary... 

Subsurface division: Permanent. 

Temporary. 

Water department, distribution branch (in arrears; large increase of woA). 

Water department, revenue and inspection branch (in arrears; insufficient force). 


1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 


1 

1 


Total. 


17? 


Public schools. 1 

Office of superintendents. 

Teachers. 

Janitors.. 


1 

1 

1 


Total. 



Metropolitan police. 

Headquarters Metropolitan police 

Detective office. 

First precinct... 

Second precinct. 

Third precinct. 

Fourth precinct.. 

Fifth precinct. 

Sixth precinct. 

Seventh precinct... 

Eighth precinct. 

Ninth precinct... 


1 . • 

1 .. 

1 .. 

1 .. 

1 .. 

1 |.. 

1 .. 

1 .. 

1 .. 

1 .. 

1 .. 


Total. 

Total, Government of the District of Columbia 


SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 



i 





i 




i 



i 



i 


I)imuiuji <iiiu iauui ••***• *••*■■ - -- -- - - - a or\o\ 

Scientific staff; in arrears (reduction m appropriations tor 1893). 



i 









Bureau of Intei national Exchanges - - •• •• * * •••■ 





i 

4 1 1 

















































































































































































14 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS, 


Sfjtus of work in bureaus and divisions of the various Executive Departments at Washington —Continued. 

SUMMARY. 


Departments. 

Bureaus. 

Divisions. 

Arrears. 

Department of State..-. 

19 



War Department._ _ .... 

13 

80 

2 

Department, of the Treasury. 

23 

121 

19 


5 

23 

Department of Justice. . 

2 

1 

1 

Department of the Navy. . . 

15 


3 

Department of the Interior. 

10 

141 

22 

Department of Agriculture.. 

23 

34 

9 

Department of Labor .. 

United States Civil Service Commission. 



1 

United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries. 

3 

9 


Interstate Commerce Commission. 



Government Printing Office. 


27 

1 

Library of Congress .. 



Government of the District of Columbia. 

21 

28 

4 

Smithsonian Institution. 

1 

4 

i 

Bureau of International Exchanges. 



National Zoological Park."I. 




Astrophysical Observatory..'. 




Bureau of Ethnology .... 








Total....................... 

135 

468 

63 





Alex. M. Dockery, 

James D. Richardson, 
Nelson Dinoley, Jr., 

Members on the part of the House of Represen tative 

F. M. Cockrell, 

James K. Jones, 

S. M. Cullom. 

Members on the part of the Senate. 



































APPENDIX, 


State Department. 


Hon. Alex. M. Dockery: 
The current work of the 


State Department, February 5, 1S05. 

Department of State is practically up to (late. 

W. Q. Gresham, 
Secretary of State. 


War Department. 

War Department, 
Washington , D. G., February 1 , 1895. 

Sir: In reply to your telegram of the 21st ultimo, requesting a statement as to 
tlie condition of tlie business of the War Department, showing whether any part o 
the same is in arrears, etc., 1 have the honor to state that the reports of the heads oi 
the several bureaus and offices of the Department, excepting the Judge-Advocate- 
General and the Ghief' of Ordnance, show that no work of their respective offices is in 
arrears. 

The Judge-Advocate-General reports the work of his office to be in arrears, conse¬ 
quent upon the assignment thereto during tlie past few years of new kinds of business 
and an increasing volume of the old lines of business during the same period. He 
estimates that the business of his office now in arrears would require, in its disposition, 
the services of one clerk for about four years. 

The Chief of Ordnance reports that there are about 2,000 property returns in his 
office awaiting examination, but having lately received an additional clerk he expresses 
the belief that with the services of said clerk, in connection with certain changes 
having for their object a reduction of the amount of work, the business now in arrears 
can be disposed of in about one year. 

Very respectfully, Joseph B. Doe, 

Assistant Secretary of War. 

Hon. A. M. Dockery, 

Chairman , etc., House of Representatives. 


Treasury Department. 


Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary, 

• Washington , I). G., February 1 , 1895. 


Sir: In reply to your inquiry as to which of the bureaus and divisions of this 
Department are in arrears on the work therein, I have the honor to transmit herewith 
copies of letters received from heads of bureaus and chiefs of divisions of the Secre¬ 
tary’s office, who report arrears in their respective bureaus and divisions, and giving 
the reasons therefor. 

Respectfully, yours, J* Gr. Carlisle, 

Secretary. 


Hon. A. M. Dockery, 

House of Representatives, 





16 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary, 

Washington, D. C., January SI, 1895. 

Sir: In reply to your inquiry of the 22d instant, I have the honor to report that the work in the 
office of tho chief clerk and superintendent, with the exception of that of the draftsman, which is 
about three weeks behind, is up to date. 

There is but one draftsman connected with this office, and the amount of work imposed upon 
him in the preparation of plans and specifications for gas fixtures and special furniture for the various 
buildings under the control of this Department, both old and new, is beyond the capacity of one man. 

The estimates for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1896, provide for an increase in the salary of the 
draftsman from $1,200 to $1,400 per annum, and also make provision for the employment of a tracer, at 
a salary of $720 per annum. . 

The work of the draftsman is increasing so rapidly that, unless the force estimated for by the 
Department is provided, the occupancy of new buildings must necessarily be delayed, and the transac¬ 
tion of the business in the old buildings more or less embarrassed for want of adequate furniture and 
fixtures. 

Respectfully, yours, Logan Carlisle, 

Chief Cleric. 

The Secretary of the Treasury. 


Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary, 

Washington, D. C., January 29, 1895. 


Sir: In reply to your circular to heads of bureaus and chiefs of divisions, dated the 22d instant, 
calling for a statement of the condition of the work of this division, etc., I have the honor to state that 
the chief work of the division, viz., correspondence regarding the administration of the customs, is 
unavoidably in arrears, and that such delay is detrimental to the current business at the customs ports. 

In order to facilitate the prompt dispatch of business in this division, additional expert clerical 
force, including one expert stenographer and typewriter, is needed at once, an experienced stenographer 
and typewriter having been recently withdrawn from the division. 

Unless such help is furnished, the work of the division will be still further delayed. Estimates 
have already been submitted for additional clerks and an additional typewriter and stenographer. 

Respectfully, yours, 


Hon. C. S. Hamlin, 

Acting Secretary. 


John M. Comstock, 

Chief of Customs Division. 


Treasury Department, Office of the Secretary, 

Washington, D. C., January 26, 1895. 

Sir: I have the honor to inform you, in answer to the circular letter of the Acting Secretary of the 
22d instant, that the clerical work of the division of stationery, printing, and blanks is well up to date. 
The work of filling outside stationery requisitions is behind more than usual, on account of (1) the 
failure of the contractor to furnish official envelopes as promptly as required, and (2) the inability of 
the printer to do the necessary printing on those envelopes as promptly as he would have done had the 
material been furnished to him regularly. 

The printing of official envelopes and letter heads was also delayed by the large amount of special 
printing required under the new tariff law and the act reorganizing certain bureaus of the Department. 
The printing office is now being run to its utmost capacity "on this class of work. 

Respectfully, yours, 


The Secretary of the Treasury. 


Samuel Roahs, Jr., 

Chief Division of Stationery, Printing, and Blanks. 


Treasury Department, Secret Service Division, 

Washington, D. C., January 23, 1895. 

Sir: In reply to your letter of the 22d instant, calling for a statement of the business of this office 
and whether the same is in arrears, and to what extent, and the reasons therefor, I have the honor to 
state : l.his office directs the movements and operations of agents employed for the suppression of coun- 
1 1 'ifeiting and other ciimes, and in connection therewith keeps a record of all persons arrested for 
violating laws relating thereto, and has custody of all counterfeit money and other contraband property 
captured, seized, or surrendered as in violation of said laws. 

I he work of this office is well in hand, with the exception of that relating to the custody and record 
of contraband property, which is about five or six months in arfears, owing to the fact that the clerk 
whose duty it is to perform same having been called upon to do other duty and take the place of others 
called away officially from their specific work. 

Respectfully, yours, A. M. Williams, Acting Chief. 

The Secretary of the Treasury. 


i reasury Department, 

Office of the Supervising Architect, 

Washington, D. C., January 25, 1895. 

. i ^j R: w? res P® nse request contained in letter of the 22d instant (appointment division), to be fur 
nished with a statement of the business of this office, I have the honor to say that in the draftin< 
division, where all work is initiated, by reason of the limited number of draftsmen employed, the worl 
is considerably in arrears. Work in the other divisions is practically up to date. * 

Respectfully, yours, " 

The Secretary of the Treasury. °* E * Keiiper » Actin ° ^vising Architect. 






CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


17 


Treasury Department, 

Office of Auditor for the War Department, 

Washington, D. C., January 25, 1895. 

C0Tn T*^' ance with your request of the 22d instant, I have the honor to state that the work 
ot this office is at present divided among six divisions, viz, pay and bounty, paymasters and claims, 
review, mail and miscellaneous, archives, and military. 

I lie business ot the mail and miscellaneous, the archives, and the paymasters and claims divisions, 
consisting of the examinations of army paymasters’ accounts, and the treatment of claims and accounts 
ot a miscellaneous character, and handling the current work of the Bureau, is well in hand and prac¬ 
tically up to date. 

1 military division settles accounts of officers of the Quartermaster’s and Subsistence Departments, 
the Corps ot Engineers, the Signal Service, etc. This work was transferred to this office from the office 
ot the late I bird Auditor on October 1, 1894, and is at present slightly in arrears. This resulted partly 
tiom the necessary delay caused by moving the tiles, etc., and from the fact that it was impossible to 
get the entire force originally engaged on the work, but I have, from time to time, assigned new clerks 
to the division, who are becoming more efficient by experience, and I hope to be able to bring the work 
practically up to date in the near future. 

I he pay and bounty division audits all claims for pay and bounty for services in the Army. For 
more than ten years the business ot this division has been from two to three years behind, and is at 
present about eiglitten months in arrears. A gradual gain has been made on this back work during 
my administration ot the office, and at the same rate of gain the present force will bring the work up 
to date in about five years, but with the additional force asked for in my last Annual Report (page 12) 
I think the work can be brought up to date within the next two years and all just claims can be paid 
more promptly. 

1 he greater portion ot the work of the Bureau consists in the examination and auditing of original 
claims which are forwarded here direct from claimants and which are required, under the law, to pass 
through two divisions. The review division is employed in the review of this class of claims, and this 
work is kept as nearly as possible up to date, and the reviewers are about a month behind the first 
auditing clerks. 

1 think it proper to say further that the entire force of the office is continuously employed, and the 
business of the Bureau is running smoothly and practically up to date, with the exception of the work 
on the pay and bounty claims. 

Respectfully, yours, T. Stobo Farrow, Auditor. 

The Secretary of the Treasury. 


Treasury Department, 

Office of Auditor for the Interior Department, 

Washington, 1). C., January 24, 1895. 

Sir: In compliance with instructions contained in circular letter of the 22d instant, I have the 
honor to transnit the following statement relative to the business of the respective divisions of this 
Bureau, viz: 

Fensiou division. —The accounts of agents for paying pensions up to the close of the quarter ending 
September 30, 1894', have all been examined and are ready for settlement. Of the six agents who make 
their quarterly payments in October, the accounts of three are under examination. The accounts not 
yet taken up consist of three October accounts, received late in November; six November accounts, 
received late in December, and two December accounts, received last week. All branches of the busi¬ 
ness are practically up to date. 

Indian division. —This division became a part of this Bureau October 1,1894. At its coming the work 
was very considerably in arrears, due undoubtedly to a constant annual increase in the Indian service 
during the last five years, without any increase in the clerical force of the division. It was inevitable 
that the work should, under such circumstances, fall in arrears. Further, the act of July 31,1894, requ ires 
the administrative office to forward to this office all accounts within sixty days of their receipt from the 
officers in the field. The force of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs having been largely augmented, it 
has been, and is now, hurrying the new accounts forward as rapidly as possible. The same act also 
increased the miscellaneous work of this division a great deal. Thus it is seen the arrearage is accounted 
for by the yearly increase in the number of accounts received, and the receipt from the Indian Office in 
the last ten days of 223 Indian depredation claims, of which 207 are still on hand. 

This division has 114 unsettled claims of Eastern Cherokee Indians, 37 of which have been examined, 
and. are awaiting additional evidence from claimants. The balance can not be paid until further appro¬ 
priation has been made by Congress. One hundred and eighty-seven claims have been received in the 
last two weeks. There are in the division, unsettled, 790 cash accounts and explanations, 460 property 
accounts and explanations of disbursing officers, and 518 claims of contractors, Indians, and others. 

The condition of the work in the Indian division is improving daily, and I hope by the end of this 
calendar year to have the work practically up to date. 

Lands, files, and miscellaneous division. —The business of this division can not in any particular be 
said to be in arrears. The accounts in the miscellaneous section of the division pertaining to the Interior 
Department proper, for the first quarter, 1895, were all adjusted before the time expired for the rendi¬ 
tion of the accounts for the second quarter, a state of affairs which the disbursing agent for the Interior 
Department reports is unprecedented in the history of that Department. There are 411 unsettled 
accounts and claims of railroads for transportation in the other sections of this division, received within 
the past sixty days, which are being disposed of now at the rate of about 400 per month, or about as 
rapidly as they reach this office. The settlement of public lands accounts proper is as far advanced as 
usual. 

Respectfully submitted. 

Samuel Blackwell, 

Auditor. 

The Secretary of the Treasury. 

H. Eep. 1851-3 




18 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


Treasury Department, 

Office of the Auditor for the State and other Departments. 

Washington , D. C., February 8, 1895. 

Sir: In response to your order, under date of January 22, for a statement as to the condition of the 
business of this Bureau, I have the honor to report that the clerks of this office are engaged on current 
work, and that the work of the office is not in arrears. The division of judicial accounts is at the 
present time unusually crowded with work, owing to the fact that about the 1st ol January the 
Department of Justice transmitted for settlement a large number of accounts which had accumulated 
in the Department, owing to a deficient clerical force. In a short time this extraordinary condition 
will not exist, and the accounts can be taken up for settlement as fast as they reach this office. More 
than 800 judicial accounts were settled during the month of January. On January 24 there were in 
that division 997 accounts; to-day, notwithstanding many have been received since that date, there are 
821 on hand, showing a reduction, in less than two weeks, of 176 accounts. 

The diplomatic and consular and the miscellaneous divisions are also both engaged on current 
work. There are always more or less of accounts which are held for explanation, and when the claim¬ 
ants are at remote points, as many consular officers are, it requires a good deal of time to correspond 
with them and receive explanations, but the office can not be considered in arrears as to such accounts. 

With the force now at work in this office, I am quite sure we can settle accounts with proper care, 
and keep the work up to date. 

Respectfully, 

Thomas Holcomb, Auditor. 

The Secretary of the Treasury. 


Treasury Department, 

Office of the Auditor for the Post-Office Department, 

Washington, I). C., January 23,1895. 

Sir: In response to your letter of inquiry just received as to the condition of the business of this 
office, I have the honor to reply that the money order branch of this office is in arrears about one year 
from current date. This arrearage is being reasonably reduced. 

The causes which led to a congested condition of this branch of the office of the Sixth Auditor was 
the very large increase of money-order offices during the last year of the administration of Postmaster- 
General Wanamaker, the number being doubled; iu round numbers, increased from 10,000 to 20,000 offices 
without increase iu the number of employees. 

I am also informed that for years past the business of this branch of the office has been in arrears, 
that the volume of unfinished work had continued to increase until in April last it was more than two 
years in arrears. The mass of work in the money-order branch is so great and the vouchers so numerous 
that when it becomes current vigorous effort will be requisite to maintain that condition. 

The work of the other branches of the office may be regarded as current, and its condition 
satisfactory. 

Respectfully, yours, 


The Secretary of the Treasury. 


Geo. A. Howard, Auditor, 


Treasury Department, Office of the Treasurer, 

Washington, D. C., January 23, 1895. 

Sir: I have the honor to submit herewith, iu compliance with request contained in circular letter 
of C. S. Hamlin, Actiug Secretary, under date of the 22d instant, a statement as to the business of this 
bureau, by divisions, showing what portion of the same is iu arrears, the extent thereof, and the 
reasons therefor: 

Chief clerk’s division .—The duties of this division consist of work of such a nature that it must be 
disposed of on the day of receipt, which is invariably done, often entailing labor long after the regular 
business hours. 

Cash division .—The work of this division is of such a character that the daily cash settlement 
necessitates its completion, in general, each day, whether it can be done within the regular business 
hours or whatever longer time it may take. 

Division of accounts .—The work in this division is completed up to date, with the exception of the 
Treasurer’s quarterly report, and the Post-Office work, which was permitted to get in arrears during the 
past summer, owing to the increased volume of current work and the absence by illness or leave of 
many of the employees. On October 1, 1894, the Treasurer’s quarterly report was five quarters behind 
and the Post-Office work seven quarters. On January 22, 1895, the Treasurer’s quarterly report and the 
Pr»st-( office work arc but three quarters behind. The work in these two classes is necessarily about two 
quarters in arreais, as it requires about that length of time to return the drafts and covering-in warrants. 

Division of national banks .—None of the work in this division is in arrears. 

Loan division. The work in this division is fully up to date, all securities redeemed and received 
prior to January 1, 1895, having been delivered for settlement to the accounting officers. 

Redemption division .—There was no unfinished work on hand in this division at the close of business 
on the 22d instant. 

Issue division. The business of this division is not behind in any particulars, and from the nature 
of the work it can not be allowed to become so 

National-bank redemption agency .—None of the business of the redemption agency is in arrears 
Respectfully, yours, 


Hon. J. G. Carlisle, 

Secretary of the Treasury, 


D. N. Morgan, Treasurer, United States. 




CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


19 


Treasury Department, 

Office of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 

Washington, D. C., January 30,1895. 

compliance with yonr letter of the 22d instant in which you ask that I furnish a statement 
ot the business ot this Bureau, showing whether any of the same is in arrears, and if so to what extent 
and the reasons therefor, 1 have called upon the heads of the several divisions composing this Bureau 
with the following results: 

lhe division of accounts, appointments, tobacco, law, and stamps report the work fully up 
to dtito. 

The division ot distilled spirits reports: “The work of this division is in good condition. In two 
items, namely, computation of distillers’ monthly liabilities and examination of gaugers’reports of 
gauging performed, the work is somewhat delayed, owing to some want of sufficient help to bring and 
keep it up to date, the computation of distillers’ monthly liabilities as shown by the monthly returns 
and reports is in arrears, as nearly as can be stated, about three months. This has accrued through want 
of sufficient help heretofore existing, but is now being brought up by the present force, with an expecta¬ 
tion of reaching current work during the spring months. In the second case, the desks employed upon 
gaugers’ report on forms 59 and 594 are in arrears about two months. A small addition to that force 
will, it is believed, promptly bring the work forward.” 

The division of assessments reports the work “ well in hand except the recording of monthly returns, 
averaging 200 in number, from the eighth district of Kentucky, which is very much in arrears, owing to 
the fact that the clerk in charge of the work resigned in August, 1893, and her place has not since been 
filled. Also the examination and recording of the reports of assessed taxes payable by stamps is several 
months in arrears, owing to the transfer of the clerk in charge, whose place has not been filled.” 

The division of revenue agents reports all work up to date except the section engaged in work relat¬ 
ing to oleomargarine, which reports that “a small part of the work is in arrears, but is being rapidly 
brought up.” 

Respectfully, yours, 


G. W. Wilson, Acting Commissioner. 


Hon. John G. Carlisle, 

Secretary of the Treasury. 


Treasury Department, Bureau of the Mint, 

Washington, D. C., January 28-, 1895. 

Sir : As directed in circular letter of the 22d instant, I have the honor to report as follows on the 
business of this Bureau: 

The verification of the bullion accounts of the several mints and assay offices is in arrears some 
months, but the force of the Bureau is now engaged on this work and it will be fully brought up in a 
short period. The reason for the arrearage is due to the fact that the Bureau has two reports to prepare, 
one showing the operations of the mints and assay offices by fiscal years, the other the production of 
the precious metals by calendar years. 

In addition to this, the Bureau is constantly called upon by Senators and Members of the House of 
Representatives for information relating to the production of the precious metals and monetary statis¬ 
tics of the world generally, which frequently necessitates tedious researches for the information desired. 

Respectfully, yours, 

R. E. Preston, Director of the Mint. 

The Chief of the Appointment Division. 


United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, 

Washington, D. C., January 23,1895. 

Sir: In response to your letter of the 22d instant, directing me to furnish a statement for the divi¬ 
sion of appointments as to the business of this Bureau, etc., I beg to submit: 

In the engraving work we are falling behind every day on account of the heavy reduction in the 
force, which in August, 1894, numbered sixteen; but from one cause and another we have lost six of the 
best engravers. 

In the drawing room we are also falling behind on account of the weakening of the force by the 
discharge of one draftsman and the impaired eyesight of another who has not done any drawing 
for months, and who, so far as I am able to foresee, will never be able to do any more. 

The general reduction in the force of writers, buoy colorists, and chart correctors has been heavy 
since July 1894, and the work in the chart room, which can barely be kept up now, must go hopelessly 
behindhand as soon as the spring trade opens. 

The preparation of the tide tables has been unavoidably delayed, on account of important changes 
and additions which have been receiving attention before being authorized. 

So far as these matters can be adjusted by the employment of members of the field force as they 
become available, it will be done. 

The filling of the two vacancies now existing. 

Writers at a salary of $720 per annum is respectfully urged. Old men orwomen will be useless, even 
worse than useless; young men with good eyes and fair English education will meet the requirement. 

Respectfully, yours, „ , ^ 

B. A. Colonna, Acting Superintendent. 

The Secretary of the Treasury, 

Washington, D. 0. 




20 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


Treasury Department, 

Office of the Supervising Surgeon-General, 

Marine-Hospital Service, 
Washington , D. G., January 25 , 1895. 

mmmmmsm 

but the copying is now being attended to, and will soon be up to date. Walter Wyman, 

Kespectlully, yours, Supervising Surgeon-General Marine-Hospital Service. 

The Secretary of the Treasury, 

(Division of Appointments.) 


Post-Office Department. 


Office of the Postmaster General, 

Washington , D. G ., February 7, 1895. 


Sir: Replying to your recent inquiry I have the honor to state that the business 
of the Post-Office Department is not in arrears in any of its branches. This statement 
is made after a careful inquiry into the condition of the business in every division of 
the Department. It is believed also that the business is dispatched as rapidly as that 
of the more important business institutions of the country. This condition can now be 
maintained without increasing the clerical force of the Department. 

Yours, respectfully, _ _ ^ ^ . 

W. S. Bissell, Postmaster-General. 


Hon. A. M. Dockery, . 

Chairman Joint Commission of Congress to Inquire into the status of 

Laws Organizing the Executive Departments , House of Representatives. 


Department of Justice. 

Department of Justice, 
Washington , I). C., January 23, 1895. 

Sir: I have yours of the 21st instant, making certain inquiries as to the affairs of 
this Department. 

Assuming that the statement called for relates exclusively to the administrative 
work of the Department, the following is respectfully submitted:’ 

There were on hand in the division of accounts on the 31st day of December, 1894, 
1,055 accounts. The number received from January 1 to January 21, 1895, amounts to 
1,150, making a total received of 2,205. 

Of the accounts on hand December 31, 1894, there were examined and referred to 
the Auditor for the State and Other Departments, 105, and there were referred to the 
same office without special examination 74G. 

Of the 1,150 accounts received from January 1 to 21,1895,103 have been examined 
and referred to the Auditor, and 56 have been referred without special examination, 
being for periods prior to the quarter ending December 31, 1894. 

Two hundred and eight accounts have been examined and referred to the Auditor’s 
office between January 1 and 21, 1895, and without special examination 802 have 
been referred to said Auditor. 

The accounts awaiting action in the division January 21, 1895, were as follows: 


Emolument returns. 53 

Attorneys’ accounts. 81 

Clerks’accounts. 168 

Commissioners’ accounts. 354 

Marshals’ accounts. 432 

Miscellaneous accounts. 107 


Total. i . 1,195 












CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


21 


provisions of tlie Dockery bill these accounts must be examined and 
the Auditor for the State and other Departments on or before March 


By the 
referred to 
20, 1895. 

The arrears of business shown by the foregoing statement are due to the fact that, 
owing to a misapprehension, the Department was not at first provided with a sufficient 
clerical force—an error which was immediately repaired by Congress upon its atten¬ 
tion being called to the subject. 

Very respectfully, Eichard Olney, 

_ Attorney-General. 

Hon. Alexander M. Dockery, M. C., 

House of Representatives. 


Department of Justice, 

Washington, I). C., February 6, 1895. 

Sir: I have the honor to say in reply to your inquiry—which does not relate, as 1 
understand, to cases pending in court and in charge of the various legal representa¬ 
tives of the Government—that there is no part of the current work of the Department 
(except as shown in my letter to you of the 2od ultimo) which is in arrears. 

Bespectt'ully, yours, 


Hon. Alexander M. Dockery, 

House of Representatives, City. 


Eichard Olney, 

Attorney- General. 


Navy Department. 


Navy Department, 

Washington, January 26, 1895. 

Sir: In reply to your telegram of the 21st instant, I send you herewith copies of 
the reports of such bureaus and offices of this Department as are in arrears with their 
work. The Department can arrange to have this work brought up to date without any 
iuereased clerical force. None of the other bureaus and offices are in arrears. 

Very respectfully, 


Hon. A. M. Dockery, 

Chairman Joint Committee , etc., 

House of Representatives , Washington, D. 


W. McAdoo, 

Assistant Secretary. 


C. 


Department of the Navy, Bureau of Navigation, 

January 23, 1895. 

Sir: Replying to the request for information on the part of the Joint Commission of Congress to 
Inquire into the Laws Organizing the Executive Departments, I have the honor to report the following 
arrears of work existing in this Bureau: 

Records of officers. —The Bureau was ordered, February 25, 1893, to collect the necessary data and to 
prepare these records. The work is steadily progressing, but can not he completed in less than one 
year. 

Permanent record of communications sent prior to July 1, 1891 .—Under the system then in use it was 
impossible, with the clerical force allowed, to keep up this record; the work is in progress, but the 
time required for completion can not be given. Changes in the methods of work were made July 1, 
1894; the current permanent records since that time have been kept up to date. 

Records of enlisted men. —Three hundred and fifty continuous-service certificates await examination 
of records before issue. One hundred and fifty good-conduct medals await preparation of inscription 
for engraving, and 150 good-conduct medals await issue. With the present force, it will require fully a 
year to get this work up to date. 

The correspondence and current work requiring immediate action occupies the clerical force allowed 
to the Bureau to such an extent that the permanent records are necessarily in arrears. 

Very respectfully, 

F. M. Ramsay, Chief of Bureau. 

The Secretary of the Navy. 





22 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


Navy Department, 

Office of the Judge-Advocate-General, 

Washington , January 23, 1895. 


MEMORANDUM. 

In response to an inquiry of the joint commission to inquire into the status of the laws organizing 

the Executive Departments, respecting the condition of current business : Tf f j, behind 

The current work of this office is not, at the present time, materially in airears. It tails neninu 
occasionally, but is from time to time brought up to date, in so far as all business of current importance 

lh C °There are, however, certain matters pertaining to the keeping of the tiles, indexes, and records, neces¬ 
sary to a proper and efficient administration of the business of the office, which , are '! a ‘ T ' f 0 ^he 
record of summary courts-martial, for example, is more than three years behind. I he tv oik on the 
indexing and files is generally more or less, but not very far in arreas. . • -i v 

A change has just been made in the method of keeping the record of summary courts-martial by 
which the labor upon it is reduced to a minimum. It may be that this improvement will tender it pos¬ 
sible to keep this particular record up to date in future r 

Earnest and repeated attempts to bring up the arrearages of work above mentioned have been made, 
but without entire success, it being found practically impossible to spare clerks from the current work 
of the office a sufficient length of time to bring up arrearages without neglecting the current work 

itSel \Vhile the work in arrears is not essential it is important and necessary to a prompt and economical 
dispatch of business, and the office is greatly in need of the services of one additional clerk in order to 
dispose of arrearages and keep this work up to date. ^ Q Judge _ Advocale _ GeneraL 

The Chief Clerk. 


[Second indorsement.] 

Office of Naval Intelligence, January 23, 1895. 

Respectfully returned to the Department. ... „. „ .. . , , 

In this office the work is in arrears in the compilation and distribution of information from abroad.; 
the extent can not be definitely stated; the principal reason is the lack of copyists. 

F. Singer, Chief Intelligence Officer. 


Interior Department. 

Department of the Interior, 

Washington , January 30,1895. 

Sir: In compliance with your request of the 21st instant for “a statement as to 
the condition of the business of this Department, showing whether any part of the 
same is in arrears; if so, in what divisions of the respective bureaus and offices of the 
Department such arrears exist, the extent thereof, and the reasons therefor,” there is 
herewith submitted the following: 


OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY. 

Divisions. 

Condition of the business. 

Appointment. 

Finance. 

Lands and railroads. 

Indian affairs. 

Patents and miscellaneous. 

Board of Pension Appeals. 

Public documents. 

Stationery and printing. 

Custodian. 

Practically np to date. Arrears, indexing of miscellaneous letters received. 

No arrears. 

Current -work is kept np to date. Arrears, copying is nine months behind. 

No arrears except in such cases as are pending action in other offices or legislation. 
Practically up to date. Arrears, transcribing of letters sent. 

Arrears, about 1,000 appeals, motions, etc., pending; has been reduced from 4,965 
during this administration. 

Somewhat in arrears; perhaps one month would suffice to complete the work. 

Up to date, except the recording of the issue of stationery, which will be recorded 
by February 1. 

Up to date, complete. 


SUMMARY. 

Considering the condition of the business of the office of the Secretary as a whole, 
and ignoring the comparatively unimportant arrears, consisting of indexing and tran¬ 
scribing, the work of this branch of the Department of the Interior may reasonably be 
stated as practically up to date. 



















CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 23 

Tlie following is a summary of the reports received from the Bureaus of the 
Department. 


Offices and bureaus. 


Office of Assistant Attorney- 
General. 


General Land Office 


Office of Indian Affairs 


Pension Office. 


Patent Office. 

Office of Education. 

Office of Commissioner of 
Railroads. 

Geological Survey. 

Census Office. 


Condition of the business. 


Notwithstanding a large increase in the number of cases appealed during the six months 
preceding and immediately following the incoming of the new administration; the large 
increase in miscellaneous matters coming before it; the absence of assistant attorneys upon 
other duties for a period equivalent to that of one person for six months; their absence 
because of the smallpox invasion for a period equivalent to that of one person for a year— 
still this division was, on January 1, 1895, less in arrears, by about two hundred cases, than 
it was on March 4, 1891!. 

The work of nearly all divisions is considerably in arrears, which is shown in detail by the 
report herewith. Besides the arrears particularized the letter-press-copy books for the past 
seven years are yet to be copied into permanent records. The arrearage is caused by the 
inadequate clerical force and lack of sufficient force of special agents and surveyors in the 
field. 

The linance division keeps up its current work, but reports on old treaties, claims, judgments, 
etc., can not be prompt with present force of clerks. In ten years the work has doubled 
while only three clerks have been added to fourteen. It has now one clerk detailed from 
another Bureau. In the land division strictly current work is not much in arrears. Allot, 
ment work is behind. In five years the work of the division has been nearly doubled and its 
force but slightly increased. The accounts division has brought up its work ami complied 
with act of July 31, 1894, only by the assistance of six clerks detailed from another Bureau. 
The education division is up to elate. The tiles division can hardly keep up with the volume 
of papers coming to it, which in the past ten years has nearly doubled. The Commissioner 
urges favorable action on his estimate for four additional c erks for the Bureau. 

The business of the Pension Bureau, in so far as its nature will permit, is nearly current— 
the best results, under existing conditions, being attained. The work of the special exami¬ 
nation division is more than one year in arrears, owing to the fact that the appropriation 
tor special examiners in the field is inadequate to meet the demands of the service. The 
recent additional appropriation for this purpose, however, will permit of an increase of the 
field force, and a large amount of work now in arrears in this division will be brought to a 
current date. 

No division in arrears. New work is within thirty days. Some judicial work is in arrears, 
considering dates. 

Up to date. 

Up to date. 

Up to date. 

Impossible to make any statement relative to work in arrears. Work is nearing an end, and 
the office is to be abolished, by law, March 4 next. 


Copies of the report from the head of each Bureau are inclosed, stating in detail the condition of 
the business. 

Very respectfully, 

Hoke Smith, Secretary. 

Hon. Alexander M. Dockery, 

Chairman of the Joint Commission of Congress to Inquire into the Laws 

Organizing the Executive Departments, House of Representatives. 


[Inclosure No. 1.] 


Department of the Interior, 

Office of the Assistant Attorney-General, 

Washington, January 30,1895. 

Sir : In compliance with your request of the 21st instant, I submit herewith a statement as to the 
condition of the business of this division, showing to what extent it is in airears in its work, and the 

reasons therefor. ... , ., . , , 

The business of this division consists (1) of the examination and consideration ot records in cases 


brouo-ht before the Department by appeal from the Commissioner of the General Land Office—-commonly 
spoken of as ‘‘docket cases;” (2) of matters of a miscellaneous character—not “docket cases;” (3) of 



rent work,” and is dealt with promptly upon the receipt of the record by the division. The same is 
true of the applications made to the Assistant Attorney-General for his opinion. Upon neither of these 

two classes of work is the division in arrears. , , . . ,, 

The preparation of opinions by the Assistant Attorney-General (whether prepared by him personally 
or by one of the assistant attorneys) and the consideration of “miscellaneous” questions is the work oi 
the same officials who would otherwise be employed in the consideration ol docket cases, m kick are a„ 
once laid aside, for the time being, until such question or decision can he prepared. Hence the large 

H. Rep. 2-36 



















24 


CONDITION OP BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


increase of miscellaneous business tends to delay the decision of “docket cases.” It is therefore only in 
the matter of “docket cases” that the division is now in arrears. 

The reasons why the division is in arrears in regard to this class of its work can not be clearly set 

forth without a brief rfisumd of the work for a few years last past. 

When the present Administration came into power, on March 4,1893, the division was dealing with 
cases that had been transmitted from the General Land Office on appeal during the month ot August, 
1892. Exactly when it should be considered “in arrears” in its work is a matter of question. In view 
of the time allowed by departmental regulations for the filing of briefs by contesting parties it certainly 
could not be so considered if it disposed during October of appeals transmitted during August. It could 
only be considered in arrears a mouth if it disposed during November of the cases received in August. 
Upon this basis of calculation, when this Administration came into power in March, 1893, it was five 
months in arrears of its work. 

On the 1st of January, 1895, the division was considering cases transmitted to the Department in 
January, 1894; hence, upon the same basis of calculation as before, it was ten months in arrears of 
its work. . 

This bald and unqualified statement, however, if left unexplained, would convey a very false idea 
regarding the efficiency of the office, for several reasons: 

(1) During the calendar year ending December 31, 1890, there were sent from the General Land Office 
to the Department on appeal 1,697 cases, which was about the average for several years preceding that 
date. During the year ending December 31,1891, there were sent up 1,893 cases. During the year ending 
December 31, 1892, there were sent up 2,226 cases, between 4t 0 and 500 more than the average.of several 
preceding years. The larger half of this enormous inllux was yet unacted upon by this division when 
the new administration took possession on March 4, 1893. Indeed, this sudden increase ot appeals was 
largely the result of the incoming of a new administration. In August, 1892, there were 147 cases sent 
up on appeal: in September, 192 cases; in October, 173 cases; in November, 197 cases. The November 
elections showed that a change in administration would take place in a few months, and in December 
243 cases were sent up; in January, 228 cases; in February, 328 cases; in March, 205 cases. In April 
the number receded to the former average of 170 cases. This large increase in the number of appeals, 
in the hope that decisions more favorable to the appellants than had previously been the rule might be 
obtained, is the customary experience upon the advent of every new administration. The number of 
appeals during the year ending December 31, 1893, was also larger than ever before, excepting in 1892. 
The division had only the same number of assistant attorneys to deal with 4,333 cases appealed in 1892 
and 1893 that it had to deal with 3,590 cases appealed in 1890 and 1891. 

(2) Upon the incoming of the new administration the number of motions for review was also 
largely increased. Without occupying space to give exact figures, it may be said in a sentence that more 
motions for review were filed within four months after the advent of the present administration than 
had been filed during the preceding year. 

(3) Under the new administration a reorganization of the force of the division was gradually made 
until eleven of the seventeen assistant attorneys had been replaced by new appointees. However effi¬ 
cient these new appointees might be, or however well informed in the fundamental principles of law, it 
necessarily required a considerable time for them to familiarize themselves with the departmental rules 
of practice, and the special statutes relating to the questions coming before 'he Department. 

(4) A part of the force of the division has been absent in the performance of other duties fora consider¬ 
able portion of the time. Thus, Mr. Womack was detailed to supervise the opening of the Cherokee Strip; 
he started from Washington for Oklahoma August 25, 1893, and was absent a month. Again in the fall of 
1894 he was detailed to represent the Government in the prosecution of alleged fraud and conspiracy in 
the Ashland district, Wisconsin, and his duties in connection with this matter occupied a month. Mr. 
Millsaps was detailed to represent the Government in the matter of the claims of certain Indians at the 
Pine Ridge Agency. He left Washington September 13 and returned December 12, 1890, having been 
ab-eut three months. Other members of the force have been detailed to attend to matters disconnected 
with the duties of this division, the aggregate absence from this cause being more than six months. 

(5) In October, 1894, smallpox broke out in the division, as a result of which the entire force was, 
for imperative sanitary reasons, prohibited from entering the building from October 26 until November 
4, inclusive. On account of the condition of the rooms infested by the contagion, the necessity for 
fumigating, renovating, recarpeting, etc., it was another week before work could be resumed by any 
portion of the force. Two of the assistant attorneys, who acquired the disease, were necessarily absent 
on that account for seventy days each; a third, in whose family it appeared, was absent thirty days; 
and the aggregate time necessarily lost from this cause amounted to three hundred and sixty-eight days, 
or more than the equivalent of one year’s work for one assistant attorney. 

(6) Although, as already stated, this division was, on March 4,1893, considering cases that had been 
sent to the Department on appeal in August, 1892, yet there were a large number of cases that had been 
sent up prior to August that had not yet been considered and disposed of. For instance: 

On August 2, 1888 , the Department rendered a decision in the case of the Northern Pacific Railroad 
Company v. Guilford Miller (see 7 L. D., 100), involving a number of important questions. A motion 
for review ot said case was filed, and from that date forward action upon all cases involving the ques¬ 
tions in issue in that case was suspended. These questions were not finally disposed of until the rendi¬ 
tion of departmental decisions in the case of Cole v. the Northern Pacific Railroad Company, July 7, 
1893 (17 L. D., 8); Northern Pacific Railroad Company v. McMahan, November 4, 1893 (17 L.' D., 507); 
and the same v. Jennie L. Davis, July 25, 1894 (18 L. D., 87). Upon the rendition of the decisions above 
named, nearly or quite 300 cases that had been transmitted upon appeal prior to August, 1892, but had 
been suspended to await action on the test cases named, were released from suspension, and have since 
been decided. 


Among the cases transmitted in August, 1892, were more than 200 involving the question as to 
whether or not the “ Lassen County desert-land ” act of March 3, 1875, was repealed by the amendatory 
act oi March o, 1891. Ike statement that the division was onlv “ five months in arrears” would carry 
with it the inference that these cases had been disposed of prior to March 4, 1893. In fact, the test 
case ot I h'mias R. Gnndley was not decided until May 31, 1893 (16 L. D., 467), after which the 
remaining 200 cases of the same character were decided. 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


25 


March 1, 1888, the Department rendered a decision in the case of Smith Hatfield (6 L. D., 557), 
relative to the right of members of the Missouri Home Guards to make entry under the soldiers’ 
additional homestead law. A motiou for review was filed, which was not decided until July 7, 1893 
(17 L. D., 79). After that a large number of “ Missouri Home Guard cases” were released, which had 
been sent up on appeal prior to August, 1892. 

On the 4th of March, 1893, there were in this division, suspended to await action upon test cases, 
between six and seven hundred cases that had been transmitted to the Department cm appeal more than 
six months before. The statement that in March, 1893, the division was considering cases that had 
been transmitted during the preceding August, did not carry with it the assumption that the division 
was at that date only “five months in arrears”—not by the amount of time necessary to examine and 
consider these six or seven hundred cases. They have been dealt with since March 4, 1893, which, in 
part, explains why the division is now ten months in arrears. 

Enough has been said to show that the fact that the division is at a given date a\t work upon a 
certain mouth’s installment of transmitted cases is a very incorrect and unfair basis ipf comparison. 
A much more just and accurate method would be to inquire into the number of cases actually disposed of. 

No record is kept of the exact number of cases examined and prepared for the Secretary’s signature 
by this division. As soon as decisions are prepared they are sent to the Secretary, by wh\pm they are 
signed, upon due examination, at his earliest convenience thereafter. Hence, as a general rule, a state¬ 
ment of the number of cases signed by the Secretary during a given period covering a series} of months 
or years furnishes an approximately correct criterion of the number of cases prepared for his\ signature. 
The records of the Department show that on March 4, 1893, there were pending before the Department, 
on appeal from the General Laud Office 2,017 docket cases not then decided. On December 31, 1894, 
there were pending on appeal from said office 1,797 cases not then decided. The Department, there¬ 
fore, so far as signed cases were concerned, was less in arrears by 219 cases on the 31st of December, 
1894, than it was on the 4th of March, 1893. The same was approximately true with regard to the work 
of this division. 

In other words, notwithstanding a very large increase in the number of cases appealed during the 
year preceding and following the advent of the new administration, the large increase in motions for 
review, the large increase iu miscellaneous matters coming before the division for consideration,, the 
appointment of new assistant attorneys comparatively inexperienced in departmental practice, the 
absence of assistant attorneys upon other duties for which they had been detailed, for a period equivalent 
to that of one person for six months, their absence on account of the smallpox invasiou for a period 
equivalent to that of one person for a year, still this division was on December 31, 1894, less in arrears 
by more than 200 cases than it was on the 4th of March, 1893. 

With an office force that has now become familiar with the practice of the Department, arid in case 
of no unusual absence on their part because of necessary detail on other duties, or from unavoidable 
casualty, I see no reason why this division may not reasonably expect to be able to report by the 1st of 
January, or, at most, by the 4th of March, 1897, that it is in no degree in arrears with its work. 

Very respectfully, 

John I. Haul, 
Assistant Attorney General. 

The Secretary of the Interior. 


[Inclosure No. 2.] 

Department of the Interior, General Land Office, 

Washington, D. C., January 24,1895. 

Sir: I have received by reference from the Department a copy of a communication from the chair¬ 
man of the Joint Committee of Congress to Inquire into the Laws Organizing the Executive Depart¬ 
ments, requesting to be furnished with a statement as to the condition ol the business of their offices, 
showing whether any part of it is in arrears, the extentthereof, and the reasons therefor. 

In reply I have the honor to state that the following is a summary of the condition of the business 
of the office as compiled from the reports made to me by the respective chiefs of division. 

Division B, recorder.— Three thousand patents to be written. 

Division C, public lands— Unanswered letters, 1,500; unadjudicated final entries, all classes, 19,516. 
Division D, private land claims. —Unsettledprivate land claims, 3,117; donation claims, 90; indemnity 
scrip, 52; scrip locations, 872; Indian allotments awaiting patent, 1,429. Indian allotment contests, 318. 
Division K, surveying .—One hundred and eighty-eight returns from examiners andsurveyors-geneial 

n0t ^D^ision^Drailt'oad .—Unadjudicated grants to railroads and wagonroads, 200,000.000 acres, requiring 
several years time witli present force. Right-of-way grants to railroads, canals, ditches, and leservoirs, 

two and a half months, and docket cases ten months in arrears. 

Division G, preemptions, townsites, etc.— Townsite entries pending, 7,763; contest cases pending, 250; 
entries in Alaska pending, 14. 

Division H, contests.— Nine hundred and seventy-six contests pending. 

Division K, swamp lands .—Unadjudicated swamp-land claims of States, 5,0b8,947 acres, and cash and 

indemnity cases, 1,967,414 acres; State grants, 1,241,864 acres. ... . . 

Division L drafting. —The work in relation to the construction of railroad withdrawal maps, mak¬ 
ing duplicate township plats to supply local land offices, and general routine work is in arreais. 

Division M, accounts.— Now examining and adjusting accounts of quarter ending December 31, 1894. 
Division N mineral.— One thousand four hundred and ninety-two mineral entries on suspended files 
Division P, special agents.— Fieldwork of agents much iu arrears for lack of sufficient force, and 
manv complaints of fraudulent entries and timber trespasses entirely unacted upon. 

In addition to the specific work of the respective divisions reported in arrears there are in every 
division the letter press copybooks for the past seven years which must eventually be transcribed into 
permanent records. They consist of about 1,700 volumes of 500 pages each, or 850,000 pages, which it 
is estimated will require the services of eighty copyists for two and one-half years. 

il. Eep. 1851-4 



26 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 

The arrearage ofw/rk in the General Land Office is caused by the inadequate clerical force and the 
lack of a sufficient force of special agents and surveyors in the held. 

Very respectiwlly, yy, Lamoreux, Commissioner. 

The Secretary of the Interior. 


> [Inclosure No. 3.] 

Department of the Interior, Office of Indian Affairs, 
j Washington, January 25, 1S95. 

Sir: By reference of the Department I have the honor to be in receipt of request of Hon. A. M. 
Dockery, chairman of the Joint Commission of Congress to Inquire into the Status ot Laws < Organizing 
the Executive Departments, etc., for a statement as to the condition of the business o. this Bureau, 
« showing wl/ietlier any part of the same is in arrears; it so, in what divisions such arrears 

exist, the exitent thereof, and the reasons therefor.” , „ T « 

In reply' I respectfully present the following statement as to the work of this Bureau. In the finance 
division the strictly current work is practically up to date or is only slightly in arrears. This current 
work varies greatly in amount at different seasons of the year, but under the most favorable circum¬ 
stances it/can be kept up to date only with the greatest difficulty with the present force of employees. 

Other important work, though not strictly “current,” such as reports in regard to old treaties, claims, 
appropriations, etc., which are constantly being called for; also work in connection with the payment 
of judgments and old claims rendered necessary by recent legislation, requires such painstaking and 
intelligent investigation that it has been found impracticable to do the work promptly. In fact the 
work <of the division could not have been brought up to its present state if one or more clerks had not 
been detailed to this office from other bureaus to give the needed assistance. The reasons for this con¬ 
dition of affairs may readily be shown. For instance, all Indian claims and contracts are acted upon in 
this division. In 1881 3,532 claims and 288 contracts required action, and in 1894 6,987 claims and 576 con¬ 
tracts required action, so that in ten years the work of the finance division, in these as well as in other 
respects, has been doubled, while to its force of fourteen clerks in 1884 only three have been added during 
the ten years. 

The land division of this Bureau considers all matters relating to Indian lands and questions of law 
involved in the management of Indians, either in their tribal or individual capacity or in their relations 
with the whites, and in later years has added a large amount of work connected with the allotment of 
Indian lands. The strictly current work of this division is not seriously in arrears. This is not true in 
regard to the allotment work, particularly that relating to nonreservation Indians. It will engage the 
time of one efficient clerk five or six months to dispose of the pending allotments to nonreservatiou 
Indians,but the other work of the division will not allow the assignment of a clerk exclusively to this 
work for so long a period. Two years ago the depredation division in this Bureau was abolished and 
its work was assigned to the land division. The letter books of the division show that its correspond¬ 
ence for the year 1894 was nearly double that for the year 1889, yet the clerical force has scarcely been 
increased since 1889. To bring the correspondence work of this division up to date, and keep it so, Avill 
require at least two additional clerks. 

The principal work of the accounts division is the examination of the cash and property accounts of 
the agents and other disbursing officers of the Indian Bureau. In addition it has charge of the distri¬ 
bution of annuities, moneys, and supplies, the supervision of agency employees, instructions to newly 
appointed agents and other disbursing officers, etc. All the work, except the examining of accounts, is, 
as a rule, up to date. The examining of accounts under the requirements of the act of July 31, 1894, is 
also practically up to date at present, but this result has been secured by the assistance of six clerks 
who have been detailed to the Bureau for the last six months. If these clerks should be returned to 
their respective offices the work would fall behind, and the requirements of the act above referred to 
could not be complied with. 

In the education division, which has charge of Indian schools, the work is up to date. The increase 
in school work since 1885 is concretely shown by the following: 


Year. 

Schools. 

Enroll¬ 

ment. 

Average 

attendance. 

Employees. 

1885. 

130 

4,067 
21, 619 

], 042 

516 

1895. 

304 

17, 220 

2, 588 



From its force of a chief, one clerk, and two copyists in 1885, it. has gradually grown to a force of 
one chief, four clerks, and three copyists. 

The geueral increase of the work in the Bureau is, perhaps, best shown by comparative statistics 
as to the work in the files division : 



Received. 

1884. 

1894. 


24, 956 
2, 382 
3,531 

o, 686 

51, 081 
4, 509 
6,986 
7,587 

Authorities. 


Miscellaneous. 

Total. 

37, 555 

70,163 

--.... -. 


Number of clerks, 8. 




























CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 27 

The work of the files division is not badly in arrears, hut with the increasing volume of papers 
coming into it it will not be possible to keep up with the work without additional assistance. 

1 have already submitted to Congress estimates for an addition of four clerks to the clerical force of 
the Bureau, and 1 most emphatically urge that they receive favorable action on the part of Congress. 
Their services are absolutely needed. 

The character of the work performed in the various divisions of the Indian Bureau will be found in 
detail on pages 88 to 126 of the volume entitled “Methods of Business in the Department of the Inte¬ 
rior,” being a report of the Secretary of the Interior to the select committee of tbe United States Sen¬ 
ate, appointed in pursuance of a resolution of the Senate adopted March 3, 1887, to inquire into and 
examine the records of business and work of the Executive Departments. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, D. M. Browning, 

Commissioner. 

The Secretary of the Interior. 


[Inclosure No. 4.] 


Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions, 

Washington, January 24, 1895. 

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, by your reference of the 21st instant, of a com 
mur ication addressed to you on tbe same date by Hon. A. M. Dockery, chairman Joiut Commission, etc., 
requesting a statement as to the condition of the business of this Bureau, and showing whether any part 
of same is in arrears; if so, in what divisions such arrears exist, the extent thereof, and the reasons 
therefor. 

I have the honor to state that the business incident to this Bureau, in so far as its nature will per¬ 
mit, is nearly current, the best results under existing conditions being attained. 

While the pension policy of the Government has been forming into a more perfect system, it is but 
proper to assert that the operations of the Bureau have been growing more methodical, and a closer 
analysis and more cautious application of principles have been employed in the work generally, resulting 
in more fixed principles of harmony and action. A vast, amount of injustice has been done the Bureau 
of late by statements pretending to show that the work was being unnecessarily retarded; that it was 
being permitted to accumulate to an unlimited degree, and that there is a backward condition of affairs. 
These statements are not borne out by the facts as they exist. I have not undertaken to answer these 
criticisms or destroy these delusions, for the reason that the records of this Bureau are always open to 
investigation by properly accredited persons. 

The general policy of the Bureau iu the administration of the pension laws is to adopt that con¬ 
struction which is the manifest letter and spirit of the statutes themselves, while forbearing to impose 
upon the beneficiaries of the Government any unreasonable or unwarranted demands; yet, on the other 
hand, relaxing nothing of what the law absolutely requires, and exacting a substantial compliance 
with such rules and regulations as are deemed essential to guard against the admission of fraudulent or 
improper claims. 

It may be proper to state, however, that the work of the special examination division is more than 
one year in arrears, for the reason that the appropriation for the payment of special examiners in the 
field" is inadequate to meet the demands of the service and bring the work up to a current date. 

I regret to say that the correspondence of the Bureau with Members of Congress in regard to the 
status o7' pension claims has not always been kept as nearly current as is desirable and as has been 
directed because of the immense number of requests made by Senators and Members for the condition 
of claims. Members of Congress correspond with the Bureau in regard to claims pending therein with 
a view to having such claims brought to a speedy adjudication to the detriment of all other claims of 
a like character. The number of applications for status is so great that if the claims to which they 
relate were drawn from the tiles and a proper statement of the status given from day to day as received 
it would occupy so much time of the examiners as to seriously interfere with the adjudication of claims 
and result in a denial of justice to thousands of claimants. The number of Congressional calls received 
is often very nearly 1 000 per day. In the effort to answer from day to day as many status calls as 
possible, injustice is done to many claimants having original applications pending and whose claims, 
on account of the correspondence incident to Congressional calls, can not be promptly reached. This 
will account in a great measure for the accumulation of work in the adjudicating divisions of this 


I am of the opinion that if these Congressional calls for status could be avoided, especially in new 
disabilitii and increase cases, the work of this Bureau would be greatly accelerated, and that within a 
reasonable time the work of adjudication would be current, and with that condition existing 
Cou<>resiouMl calls would be unnecessary, Members of Congress generally would be relieved of the 
burden with which they are now taxed, much unjust criticism of tbe Bureau would be avoided, and in 
its place would be manifested a more agreeable appreciation of the work of its officers and clerks, 
whose every effort is being brought to bear upon the prompt and proper adjudication of the several 
cl isses of claims now pending in the Bureau. , , . .. ,, 

All cases that are ready for adjudication are promptly disposed of. Apparent delays are usually the 
result of neo-lio-ence or inability on the part of claimants and their attorneys to supply evidence neces¬ 
sary to the allowance of their claims, after being notified—often repeatedly—ol the necessity for fur¬ 
nishing such evidence. Such calls for evidence'are made as promptly and with as much ol detail and 
clearness as can be done, although perhaps that class of work is retarded and disturbed more than any 
other by the time taken iu answering “Congressional calls.” As betore indicated, the Bureau is now 
more behind on work in the special examination division than m any other; and with the aid ot the 
recent additional appropriation I purpose to increase the field force ol that division as much as possi¬ 
ble during the remainder ol the present fiscal year. 

\ erj lespectfull}, Wm. Lochren, Commissioner. 


The Secretary of the Interior. 



28 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS, 


[ Inclosure No. 5.] 

Department of the Interior, 

United States Patent Office, 

Washington, January 22, 1S95. 

Sir: I Lave the honor to acknowledge the receipt, by departmental reference, of a copy of a telegram 
from Hon. A. M. Dockery, chairman of the Joint Commission of Congress to Inquire into the Laws 
Organizing the Executive Departments, requesting a statement showing whether any part of the business 
of this department is in arrears. Complying with your request as to the condition of the work of the 
Patent Office, I beg to say that there is iio division in this office where the work is in arrears, properly 
speaking. The new work in all the examining divisions is within thirty days. I here are certain 
branches of judicial work, however, which may, perhaps, be considered to be in arrears when mere dates 
are in question, but this is not the criterion in such work. It is not practicable for the appellate 
tribunals to decide appealed cases in the order in which they are heard. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

John S. Seymour, Commissioner. 

The Secretary of the Interior. 


[Inclosure No. 6.] 

Department of the Interior, 

Office of Education, 
Washington, January 26, 1S95. 

Sir: In compliance with your request of the 21st instant, regarding the condition of business in this 
Bureau, I have the honor to state that the work of the Bureau of Education is essentially up to date. 

I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 


The Secretary of the Interior. 


W. T. Harris, Commissioner. 


[Inclosure No. 7.] 


Department of the Interior, 

Office of Commissioner of Railroads, 

Washington, January 22, 1895. 

Sir: In compliance with the request of the Department, halted January 21,1 have the honor to report 
that the current work of this Bureau is not in arrears. 

The bookkeepers are at present engaged in the preparation of a statement, in detail, for the use of 
a member of the House Committee on Pacific Kailroads, showing (1) the United States requirements 
from the bond-aided companies under the acts of 18(32, 1864, and 1878; and (2) the amount of credits for 
transportation services rendered and cash payments on account of the 5 per cent of net earnings, to as 
late a date as the account can be brought down. This work involves considerable labor, as the accounts 
have been twice restated; once under a decision of the Court of Claims, in 1885, and again in 1891, in 
accordance with a decision of the United States Supreme Court (138 U. S., 84). 

Very respectfully, 


The Secretary of the Interior. 


Wade Hampton, Commissioner. 


[Inclosure No. 8.] 

Department of the Interior, Geological Survey, 

Washington, January 24, 1895. 

Sir: Referring to the inquiry of the chairman of the Dockery Joint Commission for information 
as to the condition of the business of the Department, and to your instructions, conveyed through the 
chief clerk, for compliance, so far as the inquiry applies to this office, I have the honor to report that 
the work of this Bureau is, on the whole, well advanced and up to date. The clerical force is hardly 
adequate to meet the demands upon it, but it has been possible, by careful management, to prevent 
arrears of any importance. 

I am, with respect, Chas. D. Walcott, Director. 

The Secretary of the Interior. 


[Inclosure No. 9.] 


Department of the Interior, Census Office, 

Washington, January 23, 1895. 

Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a commnnication from Hon. A. M. Dockery 
chairman Joint Commission, etc., referred to me on the 2lst instant for information relative to the Cen¬ 
sus Office. 

In reply I would say that the work of the Census Office is nearing an end. The office is to be abol¬ 
ished by law on the 4th of March next. As its work is not routine in any respect, it is impossible to make 
any statement relative to work in arrears; it is all being pushed with the utmost efficiency of the office 
Very respectfully, 


Hon. Hoke Smith, Secretary of the Interior . 


Carroll D. Wright, 
Commissioner of Labor, in Charge. 






CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


29 


Department of Agriculture. 

United States Department of Agriculture, 

Office of the Secretary, 
Washington , D. G ., February 6 , 1895. 

Sir: Your telegram of the 21st of January, requesting a report on u the condition 
of the business of this Department, showing whether any part of the same is in arrears, 
the extent thereof, and the reason therefor,” was duly received. The following report 
is respectfully submitted in accordance with this request: 

An order was issued on the day your telegram was received directing the chief of 
each bureau and division to institute immediately a careful inquiry into the condition 
of the office under his care and to make a written report thereof at his earliest con¬ 
venience. The reports are summarized as follows: 

Bureau of Animal Industry. —The work of this Bureau divides itself into two parts, 
viz: The business of inspection “ of live cattle, hogs, and the carcasses and products 
thereof which are the subjects of interstate and foreign commerce,” and the other purely 
business operations of the office. None of this work is in arrears. The second important 
division of work of this Bureau is that of investigating the diseases of animals, such as 
pleuropneumonia, tuberculosis, and sheep scab, and the methods of preventing and 
curing the same. This scientific work can not, like the purely business work, be said to 
belong strictly to any day or month, but as far as it does it is not in arrears, though 
there is much yet remaining to be done, and always will be. On the whole the business 
of this Bureau may be said to be fully up to date. 

Division of statistics. —The chief of this division reports, under date of January 22, 
that “ the work of this division is not in arrears.” 

Seed division. —The work of this division is strictly a business one, and the chief 
reports that all branches of it are up to date. 

Division of accounts and disbursing office. —The business of this division is fully up 
to date in all the several details; a position which we believe can be maintained in the 
future with slight variation. 

Office of experiment stations. —It is the duty of this office to carry into effect the act 
establishing agricultural experiment stations in connection with the colleges in the sev¬ 
eral States and Territories (act approved July 2, 1802, and the acts supplementary 
thereto) and to compile the results of the work of these stations for the information of 
the farmers, teachers of agriculture, and workers in the institutes of the country. As far 
as these include any duties to be performed at specific times, the work of the office is not 
in arrears. The extent and the character of the work undertaken each year and the size 
of the publications prepared is duly determined by the amount of the appropriation made 
for the maintenance of the office during any given fiscal year. In view of the great 
increase in the amount of work done by the stations, and the number of their publica¬ 
tions, and especially in view of the additional duties laid upon this office by the appro¬ 
priation act for the fiscal year ending June 30,1895, in relation to the supervision of the 
expenditures of the experiment stations, the Secretary of Agriculture has asked for an 
increase of $5,000 in the appropriation for the office for the next fiscal year. 

Division of records and editing.— It is the duty of this division to edit and prepare 
for publication, and overlook the publishing, of all of the reports, bulletins, and other 
documents issued from the Department, including the farmers’ bulletins issued to 
Congressmen, and it also looks to the preparation and purchase of illustrations for 
these publications. The work of the division is somewhat, though not seriously, in 
arrears, owing to the very large amount of business that comes to it at this season of 
the year. The annual report for 1894, reports of the different bureaus and divisions, 
the farmer’s bulletins, and many other publications that come in at the beginning of 
the year make this the busiest season in this division. The division has also suffered 
somewhat from the reduction of its force by one man. This will be remedied by the 

next appropriation bill. , , . , „ 

Document and folding room.—' This office is very much embarrassed for want of 
larger and better quarters for storing the publications and folding and preparing them 
for the mails; but it is, nevertheless, not in arrears in any serious particular. It has 
been able to keep up with its business by the aid of details from other divisions and 

the use of other buildings. . , . , ........ - f 

Division of gardens and grounds.— It is the duty of this division to care for the gar¬ 
dens, greenhouses, aud grounds of the Department, and to propagate scions, cuttings, 
plants, etc., and also to prepare the same for distribution. An investigation shows 
that the work of the division is not in arrears. 


30 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


Office of road inquiry.— It is the duty of this office to “make inquiries in regard to the 
system of road management throughout the United States, to make investigations in 
regard to the best method of road making, and to prepare, print, and publish bulletins 
and reports on these subjects.” The office having been so lately established, the details 
of the work to be done are not yet well defined. Its work is of a nature that it can not 
have a date and may continue until all of the roads in America and the system of road 
management are fully perfected. So far as the work of the office has a date, it is not in 
arrears. Tliechief diffieultymet has been not getting complete and accurate information 
through purely voluntary agencies, the office not having sufficient funds to pay agents 
in securing all of its information. On the whole, the work of the office is progressing in 
a manner fairly satisfactory. 

Office of irrigation inquiry .— The duty of this office is to collect information as to 
the best modes of agriculture by irrigation, and its work is of the same general nature 
as that of the office of road inquiry just described. The officer in charge reports that 
the “business” of his office is up to date. Owing in part to the novelty of the under¬ 
taking and vastness of the subject, these investigations are not as well advanced as 
we should desire. 

Museum. —It is the duty of the museum to collect, classify, and name cereals; 
collect and model fruits, vegetables, and other plants, and prepare the same for exhi¬ 
bition, and keep a catalogue of them. The curator in charge reports that his office is 
squarely up with the work and that no part of it is in arrears except the catalogue, 
which waits upon the further adjustment of models of fruits in the immediate care of 
the division of pomology. This division is at work upon this collection, and will have 
it in order in due time. Its present disorganized condition is due largely to the fact 
that the large part of the collection was exhibited at Chicago and has only recently 
been returned from the fair held at San Francisco. 

The work of the scientific divisions, which is summarized next, is chiefly one of 
investigation into the various natural sciences pertaining to agriculture and the natural 
resources of the country. This work can not have a date; as much is undertaken in 
each line in each year as the appropriations will allow, and the investigations so 
undertaken are pushed to completion as rapidly as the conditions thereof will permit. 
So far as these divisions have any work that may be described as business in contradis¬ 
tinction to scientific investigations it is not in arrears. 

Division of forestry. —The correspondence and other business of this division is only 
a few days in arrears. The work of compiling and preparing reports for publication 
has been more or less delayed on account of the deficient force which the appropria¬ 
tions allow. For this reason $5,000 additional was asked for in the estimates for 1896. 

Division of chemistry .— The business of this division is slightly in arrears on account 
of insufficient clerical force. The chief of the division reports that he has “ only one 
clerk, of class one, who is also a stenographer, and when this person is ill or absent the 
clerical work of the division is stopped. An additional stenographer and typewriter, 
who is familiar with chemical terms, is needed.” 

Division of entomology. —No part of the business of this division is in arrears. 

Division of pomology. —Owing to the insufficient clerical force and of available 
printing funds, several important bulletins and reports remain unfinished in this division 
and unpublished. The other work of this division is not in arrears. Congress has been 
asked to make a slight additional appropriation for this business and also an increase 
in the appropriation for the printing of this Department, which would cover the publi¬ 
cation of the bulletins and reports above referred to. 

Division of vegetable pathology. —The business of this division is fully up to date. 

Division of ornithology and mammalogy.—' The chief of this division reports “no 
part ot the work of this division is in arrears, except a single bulletin (Fauna No. 6). 
The delay in completing this bulletin is due, in part, to the large amount of work 
involved and, in part, to pressure of matters of more direct economic importance.” 

Division of agricultural soils.— None of the business of this division is in arrears. 

Division of botany.— The chief of this division reports that “ the work which has 
accumulated tor several years past in mounting herbarium specimens has so far pro¬ 
gressed during the past year that by the end of the next three months it will all, or 
nearly all, be up to date.” This delay was due to the cramped quarters in which the 
herbarium was stored. It lias been relieved by the removal of the herbarium to better 
quarters in the National Museum building. The botanist adds further: “ Several manu¬ 
script reports which, for want ot editorial help, could not be finally prepared for the 
pi ess, ha\e been put into proper condition for publication, and the remainder of these 
reports are expected to be similarly finished within the next two months. No other 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


31 


work of tlie division of botany now in progress is in arrears.” The delay in the prepa¬ 
ration of the reports referred to was due, in part, to the death of the former chief and, in 
part, to the waut of additional clerical help, which was provided some six months ago. 

Weather Bureau .—The following statement is supplied by the chief of the 
Weather Bureau: 


In the forecast division the following work is in arrears: The verification of the 
p. m. official forecasts issued from this office from February to December, 1894, 
inclusive; the p. m. forecasts issued at the San Francisco and Portland offices from 
January to December, 1894, inclusive; the a. m. forecasts, official and practice, 
prepared at this office during November and December, 1894, and the a. m. forecasts 
issued at Chicago from June to December, 1894; the verification of the wind-signal 
orders issued from this office and Chicago from September to December, 1894, and 
the cold-wave-signal orders issued at this office and Chicago from October to 
December, 1894. 

The reason for the arrears in this division is the large amount of additional verifi¬ 
cation work during the year, entailed by the examinations for the positions of professor 
and forecast official in the Weather Bureau held in January, April, August, and Sep¬ 
tember of 1894, and the increase in the number of officials making forecasts for practice, 
coupled with the decrease in the division force caused by the transfer of a clerk on 
November 16, 1894, to the new work recently taken up in connection with sanitary 
climatology. The official in charge reports that this work can be brought up by the 
assignment of an additional clerk. 

In the division of records and meteorological data the work of examining the monthly 
barograph and thermograph forms (numerical values for each hour of the day) for Sep¬ 
tember, October, and November, 1894, and the telegraphic cipher reports for October 
and November, 1894, is in arrears, owing to the calls made upon this division for 
special services—compiling miscellaneous climatic data, etc.— and because of a reduc¬ 
tion in its clerical force by transfer to the sanitary section. The delayed work in this 
case may all be brought up and kept at that point by the detail of one efficient clerk to 
replace the one so transferred. 

In the publications division, as a whole, the work is about one month in arrears on 
account of unavoidable absence on the part of the employees in that section, as well 
as the daily increasing demands upon the division due to the fact that practically all 
printing work for the Bureau is now executed in the printing room of this office, instead 
of being divided between our own compositors and the Government Printing Office. 
Some of the important work behind in this division is that relating to the issue of the 
Monthly Weather Review, due to the want of manuscript, which the editor of this pub¬ 
lication' has been unable to promptly furnish the printer by reason of other special calls 
upon him; the text of Bulletin C (Rainfall and Snow in the United States); the proceed¬ 
ings of the Chicago Meteorological Congress, and the printing of necessary forms for 
the use of various stations. 

With the exception of work pertaining to the indexing of the bibliography of mete¬ 
orology, which was practically abandoned during the past year owing to the decrease 
in the clerical force of the library, the work of the librarian is up to date. 

In the office of the assistant stationery and property clerk the work pertaining to 
accounting for public property and the making of semiannual returns, verifying and 
checking semiannual reports from observers, is necessarily in arrears owing to the 


nature of the work. 

With the exceptions above noted, the work of this Bureau is as nearly up to date 

as its character will permit. . 

Six additional clerks were detailed to the Weather Bureau to assist in working up 
some of the matters above reported in arrears and reported there on the 4th instant. 

On the whole, it will be seen from the above statements that the business of this 
Department is not in arrears to any appreciable extent. Certain details, only, of the 
work in some of the minor divisions are reported a few days or a few weeks behind. 
The cause for this condition of affairs has been stated in each case, and in almost every 
case the remedy has already been applied. M e conclude that with the appiopiiatious 
asked in the last estimates all the business of this Department can be kept fully up to 

date in the future. _ _ .... 

Respectfully submitted. J- Sterling Morton, 

Secretary. 


Hon. Alexander M. Dockery, . 

Chairman of the Joint Commission of Congress to Inquire into the 

Laws Organizing the Executive Uepartments, Washington , D. C. 


32 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


Department of Labor. 

Department of Labor, 
Washington, 1). G., January 21,1895. 

Sir: I liave the honor to acknowledge tlie receipt of yours ot the 24th instant, 
and to inform you that none ot the business of the Department of Labor is in arrears. 
This Department does not have routine business to attend to in connection with the 
public, but collects facts, classifies them, and publishes the results in reports. All its 

work is well in hand. _ _ 

I am, respectfully, Carroll D. "Y\ right, 

Commissioner. 

Hon. Alex. M. Dockery, M. C., 

Chairman Joint Commission, etc., House of Representatives. 


Civil Service Commission. 

United States Civil Service Commission, 

Washington , J). C., February 6, 1895. 

Sir: In response to your telephonic request to be furnished with a statement of the 
condition of business in this Commission, showing whether any part ot the same is in 
arrears, and if so, the extent thereof and the reasons therefor, you are informed that 
the work of the Commission is about twenty days in arrears. This is due to the recent 
extensions of the classified service made by the President to about 6,000 additional 
places. The substitution of the Commission’s own force for men detailed to it, made by 
Congress at its last session, in accordance with a recommendation of your honorable 
body, increased by 50 per cent the efficiency of the Commission’s force. It it had not 
been for that substitution the Commission would have been absolutely unable to do the 
extra work imposed upon it by the extensions of the classification. 

These extensions could not have been made or else would have been made under 
such imperfect supervision by the Commission that they would have amounted to but 
little. The midyear examinations at the large post-offices began yesterday. This 
means an immense increase of work for the Commission, and it is our aim to get other 
work done before the marking of these postal examinations begins. We should have 
been able to do this, thanks to having got control of our own force through your body, 
had it not been for the extensions of the classified service. As it is, through the 
efficiency of the examiners and the constantly increasing amount of work they have 
been able to do since entirely under our control, we have done more than twice as 
much work as ever before in the same time, having been able to mark almost all the 
papers hitherto left to the local boards of examiners to mark, and yet we are still about 
twenty days behind, with an immense increase of work about to take place. This 
increase consists partly of the ordinary work iu connection with the mid-year examina¬ 
tions, but arises partly in connection with the examinations for the newly classified 
internal-revenue service. There will also have to be much inspection work at the 
various classified offices throughout the country, especially those newly classified. 
This will deplete the fund for traveling expenses and increase the work of the Com 
mission, as every examiner sent on inspection tour is necessarily withdrawn from the 
work at Washington. 

The force of the Commission is constantly increasing in efficiency, as the persons 
appointed since the Commission got control of its own force are getting used to their 
duties. The Commission is thus able to do its work with constantly increasing rapidity 
and accuracy. Nevertheless, the work is growing at an even greater rate. If the classi¬ 
fied service had remained as it was last August, before the Commission got control of 
its own force, the Commission would have been abreast of its work and could have kept 
up with it, besides doing many things which it would like to do, but has been forced to 
leave undone, because it had to limit itself to taking up only the tasks that were abso¬ 
lutely necessary to be performed; but with the increase in the classification, the Com¬ 
mission feels that in spite of all its efforts, it can not avoid falling somewhat behind 
during the ensuing year while it has only its present force. Already some of the 
examiners are working overtime in order to keep the work from getting too far behind. 



CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


33 


No persons from other Departments are now detailed to the Commission, and no 
person on the Commission’s force is detailed to another Department, except that for 
some highly technical examinations the Commission is aided by experts from rhe Depart¬ 
ments in the marking'. This assistance, however, constitutes less than 1 per cent of the 
examining work. 

Very respectfully, John R. Proctor, 

President. 


Hon. A. M. Dockery, 

Chairman , Joint Commission of Congress , 

House of Representatives . 


Fish Commission. 


United States Commission of Fish and Fisheries, 

Washington, I). C., January 30, 1895. 

Sir: In answer to your request of the 24th instant, asking for a statement as to 
the condition of the business of this Commission, etc., I beg to make the following 
reply: 

For the purpose of distributing the work of the Commission, other than that 
requiring the direct attention of the Commissioner, three divisions have been organized: 
(1) Inquiry respecting food-fishes; (2) fish culture, and (3) statistics of the fisheries. 
In these divisions, as also in the office of the Commissioner, the current clerical work, 
such as correspondence, accounts, and distribution of publications, is cared for each 
day. To do this, however, owing to the limited clerical force, the posting of data often 
falls behind for a few weeks, but is brought up as soon as any abbreviation of current 
work permits. In other words, all the current business is practically kept up to date 
at all times. 

The investigations pertaining to the division of inquiry respecting food fishes are 
actively prosecuted to the fullest extent of the means provided, but lack of sufficient 
expert assistance has prevented the consummation of the inquiries as rapidly as is 
considered desirable and the welfare of certain fishery interests demands. Excepting 
in this respect, the work of the division can not be considered in arrears. 

The work of the division of fish culture, so far as its clerical work is concerned, is, 
as before stated, up to date; so far as meeting all requests for fish for stocking waters, 
it is always behind, these requests aggregating in amount many times the possible pro¬ 
duct of the Commission’s stations. 

In the division of statistics the work is in an advanced state, and at no previous 
time has the condition, both of the field and office work, been more satisfactory. 

The publications of the Commission consist of two series, reports and bulletins. The 
bulletins are up to date, the final pages for that of the calendar year 1894 being about 
ready for the press. The last report issued is that for the fiscal year ending June 30, 
1892J although the manuscript of the report for the following year is about ready for 
transmission to the Public Printer. The reports of this Commission have always 
appeared from two to three years subsequent to the period of time covered by them. 
This has been due to the fact of their including an account, not only of the work done, 
but also of the results of such work, which could not be fully passed upon until after 
a study of the data obtained, generally requiring some time for its completion. 

Very respectfully, 

Herbert A. Gill, Acting Commissioner. 

Hon. Alex. M. Dockery, 

Chairman Joint Commission of Congress to Inquire into Laws 

Organizing Departments , etc., House of Representatives . 

H. Rep. 1851-5 



34 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


Interstate Commerce Commmission. 


Interstate Commerce Commission, 

Office of the Secretary, 

Washington , January 25 , 1895. 


Dear Str: In reply to your communication of tlie 24th instant, I have the honor 
to say that the Interstate Commerce Commission is not in arrears with its work. 

Very respectfully, 

Edw. A. Moseley, Secretary. 

Hon. Alexander M. Dockery, 

Chairman Joint Committee , etc .,. 

House of Representatives, Washington, D. 0. 


Government Printing Office. 

Office of the Public Printer, 
Washington, D. C., January 31, 1895. 

Dear Sir: In reply to your telegram of the 21st instant, inquiring as to the con¬ 
dition of the work of the Government Printing Office, and as to whether any part of same 
is in arrears, I have to state that the condition of the work of Government printing, as 
it flows to this office, will not permit its execution in some cases at once, on account of 
the demands of more urgent current work and the lack of working facilities and space. 
Such delayed work is held until a later period in the year, and at a time when there is 
less demand for hurried Congressional and departmental work. Such temporary delay 
of work is generally without detriment to the public service. 

The office, during the calendar year, practically met all the demands of the service 
in the matter of current printing. There is a considerable arrearage of work in the bindery 
division, occasioned necessarily by lack of working space and appropriations. This work 
in arrears is largely made up of the personal binding due individual Members of Con¬ 
gress, the delay of which scarcely interferes with the public service. 

There are a number of works in the office partly in type and partly in print, which 
have been delayed for years, owing to the failure of parties responsible for the same to 
furnish copy, or the failure of Congress to direct the completion of work which had 
already been commenced. 

All orders in the matter of printing, where the copy is furnished complete, are exe¬ 
cuted promptly aud in order, with a view of meeting the most pressing aud urgent 
demands of the service. 

Respectfully, Th. E. Benedict, 

Public Printer. 

Hon. Alexander Dockery, 

Rouse of Representatives. 


District of Columbia. 


Office of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, 

Washington, February 6, 1895. 

Dear Sir: The Commissioners have the honor to make the following response to 
your request of the 24th ultimo, for a statement whether the business of the offices and 
bureaus of the government of the District of Columbia is in arrears, etc. 

Promptly upon receipt of your communication they notified the heads of the 
District offices and bureaus to make immediate report on the subject of your inquiry. 
They have received replies to their notices and herewith transmit them as the most 
satisfactory way in which to acquaint you with the information so obtained. 

Very respectfully, 


John W. Ross, 

President Board of Commissioners, District of Columbia. 
Hon. A. M. Dockery, 

Chairman Joint Commission, etc. 




CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


35 


Office of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, 

Washington, February 5, 1895. 

Gentlemen : With reference to the inquiry of Mr. Dockery, under date of the 24th ultimo, as to 
the condition of the work of this office, I have to state that it is as nearly up to date as its character 
will permit. The presence of Congress always involves an extra amount of work in different stages of 
preparation and consideration. Incidental to that work is the necessity for conferences with and hearings 
of the public on pending legislation, which involves delay and interrupts current work, inconsequence 
of which some matters are still in abeyance. The routine duties of the stenographers are also inter¬ 
fered with by the frequent requisition by the Commissioners for their services at hearings and in attend¬ 
ing to their special correspondence, but it is believed that the v> ork of the office as a whole is conducted 
with reasonable promptness. 

Very respectfully, William Tindall, 

_ „ Secretary. 

The Commissioners of the District of Columbia. 


Office of Inspector of Buildings, 

Washington, January 28, 1895. 

Gentlemen: Referring to the circular letter of the Hon. Alex. M. Dockery, chairman of the Joint 
Commission of Congress to inquire into the laws organizing the Executive Departments, etc., dated on 
the 24th instant, requiring you to furnish said Commission with a statement of the affairs of the Dis¬ 
trict government, and pursuant to your request in the premises. I have the honor herewith to submit the 
following report of the affairs of the office of inspector of buildings: 

The circular letter calls for a statement of the condition of this office, showing such parts as are in 
arrears, in what branches such arrears exist, the extent thereof, and the cause therefor. 


condition. 


The personnel of this office is as follows: 


1 inspector of buildings.$2,400 

1 chief clerk and architect.. 1, 600 

1 assistant inspector of buildings. 1,200 

1 assistant inspector of buildings. 1,000 

1 inspector of elevators and lire escapes. 1,000 

1 clerk. 900 

1 messenger. 480 


DUTIES. 

The inspector of buildings is, in general, charged with the survey and inspection of all buildings 
and structures of every kind whatsoever, excepting United States Government buildings, within the 
District of Columbia; the enforcement of the building regulations and the issue thereunder of all 
permits, certificates, and notices; the custody of all applications, plans, and notices submitted; the 
record of all violations of said building regulations, the prosecution of offenses thereunder, and all 
matters appertaining thereto; the examination of all buildings in course of erection, alteration, or 
repair, requiring the same in every particular to conform to law and safe construction ; the examina¬ 
tion of all buildings supposed or reported to be in a defective condition; the condemnation of all 
-buildings that are unsafe or unfit for habitation, and all matters arising therefrom; the supervision of 
the erection and location of all heating apparatus, machinery, boilers, engines, and elevators; the 
numbering of all buildings and changes therein; the immediate charge and supervision of all municipal 
buildings in course of erection, alteration, and repair; and such other duties arising ex officio as may, 
from time to time, be required of him by the Commissioners. 

The chief clerk and architect, officially appointed as “clerk,” is charged, under supervision of the 
inspector of buildings, with the following duties: To write, personally, all applications for all appli¬ 
cants for permits of every nature whatsoever; to examine all such applicants as to their intentions and 
to ascertain the correctness of their representations; to examine in minute detail all applications and 
plans for new buildings and structures, alterations and repairs, projections beyond building lines, 
vaults, terraces, etc., to ascertain that they conform to law and safe construction, suggesting proper 
changes when they do not; to write in duplicate all required permits; to prepare designs and drawings 
for afl new municipal buildings and all alterations and repairs to municipal buildings; to conduct such 
correspondence as, in the premises, may be necessary; to perform such other duties as may from time to 
time arise, and in the absence of the inspector of buildings to act m his place and stead. 

The assistant inspectors are charged, under the supervision of the inspector of buildings, with the 
inspection, and such superintendence as the same may require, of all buildings and structures in course 
of erection, alteration or repair, and all matters relating thereto, and of all existing buildings whatso¬ 
ever which, within the purview of the building regulations, are liable to inspection, complaint, con¬ 
demnation, or suspicion of being defective. It is their duty to see that all things in the premises are 
brought within and conform to the spirit of the laws; to keep a record of their acts and movements, to 
report the same in writing, and to conduct such correspondence and to serve personally such notices as 
may be incident to the execution of their duties. 

The inspector of elevators and fire escapes is charged with the inspection of all elevators, fire 
escapes, the location of boilers, engines, machinery, plants requiring special licenses, and such other 
features of a techuo-mechauical nature as come within the jurisdiction of the inspector of buildings. 
His duties, within the scope of his specialty, are coordinate with those of the assistant inspectors. 










36 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


The clerk is the sole accountant and registrar of the office, and he is likewise burdened with such 
of the multifarious clerical work of the office as can not he performed by the chief clerk and architect. 

The messenger is the janitor of the office, messenger, and driver of the building inspector’s carriage 
when out on official business. 

JURISDICTION. 

The jurisdiction of this office, contemplated by the building regulations, comprises the entire 
District of Columbia, the incidents of which may be briefly stated thus: 

Population .* - - - 270, 000 

Area (in square miles).- - - -. 69. 22 

Number of habitable buildiugs assessed for taxation (exclusive of stables, outbuildings, and 

sheds) ....-.. 50, 000 


GENERAL CONDITION. 

As to the general condition of this office reference is hereby respectfully made to the annual report 
of the inspector of buildings for the fiscal year 1893-94. The situation remains in statu quo, except 
that the work upon new municipal buildings and alterations to old ones commenced subsequent to that 
time is being vigorously and effectively prosecuted to a near completion. 

In order to conceive an intelligent idea of the actual condition of any branch of a municipal gov¬ 
ernment, it is necessary to scrutinize the same by the light of comparison with similar departments of 
other municipalities. 

In this connection it is to be regretted that the limited time allowed for the preparation of this 
report precludes the accumulation of the exact statistics wherewith to compare this office with its con¬ 
temporaries in other cities. However, a few authentic figures are at hand which will suffice. 

A comparison of the building department of Washington and the District of Columbia with that 
of three representative cities similarly situated, reveals the following as to the inspection of buildings 
in these respective cities: 


City. 

Population. 

Area 
in square 
miles. 

Number of 
buildings. 

Number 
of field 
inspectors. 

London . 

4,234,431 
795, 787 
1,800,000 
270, 01)0 

118 

22 

41. 50 
69.22 

555,134 
13,811 
114,500 
50, 000 

C) 

C) 

85 

2 

Vienna..... 

New York City.. 

Washington aiid District of Columbia. 


1 Unlimited. 


In view of the foregoing table and of the well-known statistics of other cities in the United States 
and Europe, the building inspection department of the Capital of the United States, the most enlightened 
of nations, suffers such humiliating disparagement, that the less said about it the better. No comments 
are needed. 

ARREARS. 


In matters relating to the administration of the office details, irrespective of field work, it is 
possible to keep the work well in hand with seldom more than the accumulation of a week's arrears. 

This, however, is due to the fact that the building industries of the District have, during the past 
eighteen months, subsided to a state of stagnation. Should there at any time be a revival of those 
industries proportionate to the size and enterprise of Washington, this clerical and examining force, 
already taxed to its utmost, would be overwhelmed as by a tidal wave. 

The inspector of buildings, engrossed with the supervision of municipal buildings and the 
multiplicity of details which the quasi-judicial nature of his office makes incumbent upon his time and 
judgment, can not of necessity find hours enough in the day to do more. 

The outside or field work of inspection, except in technical matters, therefore, necessarily devolves 
upon his assistants. 

The range of these two assistant inspectors extends over 69.22 square miles of territory and 
embraces 50,000 habitable buildings, exclusive of stables, outbuildings, and sheds. During the last 
fiscal year, a year of general depression, in addition to this general territory, there was for their partic¬ 
ular inspection the following new work— 

New buildings. 914 

Alterations and repairs.[ 4 090 

Sheds. ** ’421 

Railings.406 

Awnings. 12 4 


Total . 2,961 

requiring from one to as many visits as each particular case required. All of which was exclusive of 
the numerous examinations of obstructions and petty violations of the regulations. 

The assistant inspectors of this office have ever eviuced an abject devotion to their duty and have 
doubly lulfilled the measure of it. Therefore, if the field is tenfold too large for this force to cope with 
then the reason is as patent as the remedy is simple. Inspectors are not ubiquitous nor have thev no wer 
to multiply themselves. * 

This subject has been ably, forcibly, and annually referred to for the past decade in the annual 
reports and estimates of the Commissioners to Congress, and the same has, by Congress, been annually 

























CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


37 


. EXTENT OF ARREARS. 

The extent of the arrearage is purely a matter for conjecture. The element of duty can not enter 
into it. This office is confronted by a condition for which it is not responsible and which it can not 
alter. Given the limit of human possibility as exemplified by the united exertions of the employees of 
this office, to be subtracted from the province assigned them by the building regulations, and the dif¬ 
ference will show the arrearage. It is too intangible to be measured and computed, but it is evidenced 
from time to time by appalling disasters, which supply our hospitals and cemeteries with mangled and 
charred humanity. 

Very respectfully, Jno. B. Brady, 

Inspector of Buildings. 

The Commissioner of the District of Columbia. 


Washington, D. C., January 27,1895. 

Gentlemen : In reply to your inquiry of the 24th instant, asking for information as to whether oi 
not any of the w r ork of this office is in arrears, I have the honor to report that with my present clerical 
force I am able to keep up with the routine work only. The work of my office is very heavy and 
increases with the yearly increase of appropriations. I have repeatedly recommended that I be given 
au additional clerk, with which I would then be able to keep my work up to date. 

Very respectfully, 


The Commissioners of the District of Columbia. 


F. 0. Beckett, Property Clerk. 


Office of the Engineer Commissioner, District of Columbia, 

Washington, February 5, 1895. 

Gentlemen : In answer to the circular letter of Hon. A. M. Dockery, I have the honor to state 
that current work under my office is practically up to date, but I am unable to use the harbor boat 
when the river is frozen, as at present, consequently w r ork which should be attended to has to be post¬ 
poned until the ice leaves the river. 

Respectfully submitted. J. R. Sutton, 

Harbor Master. 

The Commissioners of the District of Columbia. 


Office of the Assessor, District of Columbia, 

Washington, January 26, 1895. 

Gentlemen : In response to your request for immediate report as to the condition of the business of 
this office, as called for by Hon. A. M. Dockery, chairman of Joint Commission, etc., it gives me pleas¬ 
ure to say that the routine work of this office is up to date, as it necessarily must be for the accommo¬ 
dation of the public, even if the employees have to work for its accomplishment at times not prescribed 
by the regulations of the Commissioners, which has been the case for two or three years past, caused 
by a great increase in the work, without a corresponding increase in the clerical force. 

Any decrease in the present force would be disastrous. A reasonable increase would undoubtedly 
be beneficial in giving better opportunity for prompt responses to the demands of the public and keep¬ 
ing the books and records free from mistakes and errors which are liable to occur as a result of hurry 
and insufficiency of competetent help. This continual strain of extra work should not be required, and 
if relieved, a better and more creditable service would be the result. 

Very respectfully, Matthew Trimble, Assessor. 

The Commissioners. 


Special Assessment Division, January 28, 1895. 

The work of this office is as near to date as is possible. It can not be considered as in arrears to 

any extent. ^ ^ 

Wm. Oscar Roome, 

Special Assessment Clerk, District of Columbia. 


Office of Collector of Taxes, District of Columbia, 

Washington, January 26, 1895. 

Gentlemen: In reply to the communication of the Honorable A. M. Dockery, chairman of the 
Joint Commission, etc., I beg to say that in all seasons the counter work of this office must be kept up, 
but to accomplish this it has been necessary for the force to work after hours for weeks at the time. 

January February, and March beiug months when the business of the office is slack, the time is 
utilized for the purpose’ of bringing up to date such work as has accumulated during the very busy 
months and which could not with the small force of the office be disposed of promptly. 

Postponing the payment of the first half of the tax for 1895, due in November, 1894, until May, 
1895 materially decreased the work of the office for the first half of the present fiscal year, and has 
enabled us to devote the time which has heretofore been taken up exclusively in the collection of the 







38 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


semiannual tax to the routine duties of the office; in consequence we are far in advance of other years 
with our work. The preparation of the list for advertising delinquent property is well advanced, 
reports to the Treasury Department are all completed to November, 1894, and other work of the office 
well up. 

Very respectfully, E. G. Davis, 

Collector of Taxes District of Columbia. 

The Commissionkrs of the District of Columbia. 


Office of the Auditor of the District of Columbia, 

Washington, January 31, 1895. 

Gentlemen: I have the honor to submit the following report as to the condition of this office in 
respect to the inquiry contained in the circular letter of the 24th instaut of the Hon. A. M. Dockery, 
chairman of the joint commission of Congress, referred to me on the 26th instant. 

The recent law requiring the accounts of the Commissioners to be rendered monthly has been com¬ 
plied with, the vouchers for December, 1894, being now in the hands of the Auditor for the State and 
other Departments. 

The revenue collection and deposit account, which is kept in monthly periods, has been compared 
with the books of the Treasury and proved to the first of the present month. 

The work of comparing the coupons detached from receipted tax bills with the daily report of 
moneys received and deposited in the Treasury by the collector of taxes, which constitutes a daily audit 
of his cash account, is up to date. 

The examination of the tax ledgers for the discovery and correction of errors in posting individual 
accounts and the verification of the footings so as to show the true amount of the tax levy, which was 
suspended upon the transfer of the clerk in charge to duty as disbursing clerk, was resumed in Septem¬ 
ber last with the aid of the additional clerk authorized by the act of August 7, 1894, and is progressing 
satisfactorily. 

All books of record, except one general ledger which is needed only for occasional reference, are 
posted so as to meet the requirements of current business. 

Nearly 2,000 claims have been acted upon in the last two months-^a record unequaled in the 
history of the office. By dint of extra effort, involving frequent night work on the part of the audit 
clerks, all requests for special action have been met, and although a considerable number of claims, 
not of an urgent character, await consideration, it is believed that upon occasion this branch of the 
work might be brought to date within a week. 

Under previous Boards of Commissioners claims were audited and checks drawn therefor for which 
no claimants have appeared. The money to meet these checks is on deposit with the Treasurer of the 
United States, and corresponding balances appear in the accounts of the Commissioners aforesaid. 
Several attempts have been made heretofore to close these accounts, but doubts arising as to the extent 
of the authority of the accounting officers in the premises, they have for this reason remained unadjusted ; 
but under the act of July 31,1894, the matter seems no longer open to question, and steps have accord¬ 
ingly been taken recently to cancel all unpaid checks issued prior to March 1, 1893, and cover the 
balances represented thereby into the Treasury. 

I may say in a general way that the office is in good working condition. 

Very respectfully, j. t. Petty, 

Auditor District of Columbia. 

The Commissioners of the District of Columbia. 


Office of the Attorney, District of Columbia, 

Washington, February 2, 1895. 

Gentlemen: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a copy of a letter addressed by Hon. 
Alex. M. Dockery, chairman Joint Commission, etc., to the president of the Board of Commissioners] 
requesting information as to the condition of business in the several bureaus of the District Govern¬ 
ment, which you sent me with a request for immediate report as to the condition of the business of mv 
office. 

In reply I have to say that, although my force is inadequate, the business of the office, I believe is 
up to date. 

Very respectfully, . S. T . Thomas, 

„„ ^ Attorney District of Columbia. 

The Commissioners. 


Office of the Coroner, 
Washington, D. C., January 30, 1895. 

Gentlemen: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication inclosing the 
request of Mr. Dockery to Commissioner Ross. In response to which lean say that the work of the 
Coroner’s office is up to date, or in such a condition that I am prepared to furnish an itemized statement 
at a very short notice if desiied. I will also state that the work of this office has been very heavy for 
of this fiscal year, and should it continue at this same ratio the appropriation 


the seven mouths expired _ 

for this office will not hold out, even with the strictest economy. 
Yours, very respectfully, 

The Commissioners. 


appropriation 

C. M. Hammett, M. D., 

Coroner. 





CONDITION OP BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


39 


Eastern Market, 

. Washington, D. C., January 29, 1895. 

Sirs: In answer to your request for a report as to the condition of the business of the Eastern 
Market nnder my charge, I have the honor to report that all rents of whatsoever kind appertaining to 
this market have been paid up in full to 1st instant. 

Yours, respectfully, B . F Graham, 

rn , ,, „ Market Master, Eastern Market. 

The Commissioners of the District of Columbia. 


Georgetown Market, 
Georgetown, January 29, 1895. 

Gentlemen: I have the honor to inform you that the Georgetown Market is in good condition, 
and that the dealers occupying stands therein are very prompt in paying their rents in advance. 

I would also state that there is no back rent owing. 

Very respectfully, ° W. H. Williams, Market Master. 

The Commissioners of the District of Columbia. 


Western Market, 
Washington, D. C., January 28, 1895. 

In reply to the communication of the Hon. Alex. Dockery, I would respectfully state that the busi¬ 
ness affairs of this market are up to date. 

Respectfully submitted. j. Eldridge Burns, 

Market Master, Western Market. 

Hon. John W. Ross, Commissioner. 


Office of Superintendent Telegraph and Telephone Service, 

Washington, 1). C., February 5, 1895. 

I have the honor to state, touching the inquiry submitted by Hon. A. M. Dockery, January 24, 
1895, that no part of the clerical business of this department is in arrears. As a matter of fact, our 
telegraph and telephone operators are obliged, by the nature and character of the business, to keep 
their records up to date, and no deviation from this course could or would be permitted. 

Respectfully, 

Henry R. Miles, 

Superintendent Telegraph and Telephone Service. 


Hon. Commissioners of the District of Columbia. 


Health Department, District of Columbia, 

Washington, January 28, 1895. 

Gentlemen : In reply to your letter of the 24th instant, inquiring whether any part of the busi¬ 
ness of this office is in arrears, I have the honor to inform you that all of the work undertaken is at 
present up to date. 

The force of inspectors is such that this department isnot able to make a house-to-house inspection 
even as often as once a year, and such inspection is therefore not undertaken. It is properly a part of 
our work, and should be provided for, so that nuisances may be abated before they become so objection¬ 
able as to render it necessary for some citizen to send in a complaint to this office, as is the case at 
present. 

Owing to the absence of a bacteriological laboratory, this department has to depend for examina¬ 
tions of that character upon the already overburdened laboratories attached to the Army, Navy, and 
Marine-Hospital Service located in this District, and upon the courtesy of the Georgetown Medical 
School which has kindly allowed us the use of its laboratory. It is, therefore, necessary for us to limit 
the amount of this work so as to make it conform to the capacity of these laboratories. 

Owing to the small appropriation for the enforcement of the law to prevent the spread of scarlet 
fever and diphtheria in this District, the disinfection of infected houses has to be entrusted to their 
occupants, who are in many cases too ignorant to properly understand what should be done, and even 
in a greater number of cases are not sufficiently skilled in the methods to be employed to secure satis¬ 
factory results. This work is properly a part of the work of this department, and should be done by 
men in its employ. 

Very respectfully, Wm. C. Woodward, M. D., 

Health Officer. 

The Commissioners of the District of Columbia. 


Washington Asylum, 
Washington, D. C., January 28, 1895. 

Gentlemen: In reply to the request of the Honorable Alex. M. Dockery, chairman Joint Commis¬ 
sion, etc., asking for information in reference to the condition of business of the District government, I 
beg leave to state that the work of this institution is up to date. 

Very respectfully, W. H. Stoutenburgh, 

IntendanU 

The Commissioners of the District of Columbia. 

II. Itep. 2 -37 







40 


CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


Street and Alley Cleaning Department, District of Columbia, 

Washington, D. C., January 29, 1895. 

Sir: In compliance with your directions, appended to copy of circular letter from Hon. Alex. M. 
Dockery, chairman .Joint Commission, etc., under date of 24th instant, I have the honor to report that 
the business of the street and alley cleaning service is up to date, no part same being in arrears. 

Very respectfully, „ ,, „ „ • , , 

A. G. McKensie, Superintendent. 

Hon. John W. Ross, 

President Board of Commissioners, District of Columbia. 


Office of the Engineer Commissioner, District of Columbia, 

Washington, February 5,1895. 

The work of the offices of the superintendent of streets, superintendent of county roads, com¬ 
puting engineer, engineer of bridges, inspector of asphalt and cenient, inspector of plumbing, superin¬ 
tendent of property, superintendeut of sewers, and record office is not in arrears. During busy times 
the work falls behind, more or less, from lack of sufficient force. 

The office work of the parking service is not in arrears, although the fieldwork throughout the city 
is greatly behind on account of insufficient appropriations for its maintenance and proper extension. 

In the revenue and inspection branch of the water department the present force of clerks and 
inspectors is entirely inadequate to perform the duty properly. The entire force of this office is 
one-third less than when there were 10,000 water takers; there are now nearly 44,000. 

In the distribution branch of the water department the office work is up to date with the following 
exceptions: The daily report book, water main book, and weekly report of work done are in arrears, 
respectively, three months, seven months, and one year. This condition results from a large increase in 
the clerical work, arising from the extension of the high service system of water distribution, and 
changing mains, pipes, etc., for the street railroads. 

Street lighting »—As regards the inspection of the street lighting service that work is in arrears so 
far as a complete, thorough, and systematic inspection is concerned. The office records, while not in 
arrears, are not so complete as they should be. No clerk is provided. It is often necessary to call upon 
the inspectors for assistance in the day time; all this must necessarily be at the expense of the regular 
night inspection. The services of a clerk are absolutely required. 

Permit office and employment registry. —All work of this office is up to date. It is desired to increase 
the work of this office, which ought to be done for the public interest, but such increase is impracti¬ 
cable on account of insufficient force. 

Plan of highway extensions. —The work is greatly behind on account of inadequate appropriations 
for necessary and satisfactory progress. 

Office of inspector of gas and meters. —The determinations of the illuminating power and purity of the 
gas at the additional laboratories has largely increased the work of this office. The recommendation 
that a suitable person he appointed to assist in the work of laboratories and perform clerical services 
is again renewed by the inspector. 

Chas. F. Powell, 
Commissioner District of Columbia. 


Office of Superintendent of Public Schools, 

Washington, D. C., January 28, 1895. 

Gentlemen: I have the honor to report that the work of this office is up to date. 

Very respectfully, 

N. P. Gage, Acting Superintendent. 

The Commissioners of the District of Columbia. 


Office of Major and Superintendent Metropolitan Police, 

January 26, 1895. 

Respectfully returned with the report that the work of this office is not in arrears, notwithstanding 
the fact that only two clerks and one stenographer are allowed by law to this department. It is true, 
however, that to keep up the work it has been necessary to detail four policemen to assist in office 
duty. 

Wm. G. Moore, 

Major and Superintendent Metropolitan Police. 


Office of the Superintendent of Charities, District of Columbia, 

Washington, D. C., January 26, 1895. 

Sir: Your circular, transmitting the request of the joint committee of Congress, of which Hon. 
Alexander M. Dockery is chairman, for a statement of the condition of business, showing whether any 
part thereof is in arrears, is just received. 

I respectfully report: The clerical work of this office is not in arrears. Two matters of reference 
requiring report are not yet acted upon, but will be disposed of in a few days. With these exceptions 
there are no arrears in business that has reached this office. 






CONDITION OF BUSINESS IN THE DEPARTMENTS. 


41 


Of the 29 quarterly reports of charitable and reformatory institutions aifd associations due for the 
quarter ended December 31, 1894, 27 have been received. 

Of the 25 separate quarterly financial statements, with accounts current and vouchers, of such 
organizations, 23 have been received, examined, and transmitted after correction. Requisitions for 
quarterly parts ot annual appropriations for all institutions and boards, for which appropriation is 
made, have been received and acted upon. 

1 he outstanding reports and accounts, for the delay of which explanation has been made, will be 
disposed of at once. 

All reports and statements called for by Congressional, Departmental, and District authorities 
have been made. 

In general, there is no business of the superintendency in arrears beyond the time necessary to 
complete ordinary current transactions. 

Yours, respectfully, John Tracey, 

Superintendent of Charities, District of Columbia. 

Dr. William Tindall, 

Secretary Board of Commissioners. 


National Museum. 

Smithsonian Institution, 

Washington , I >. C., February 6 , 1895. 

Sir: Tn response to your letter of January 24, asking for a statement of the condi¬ 
tion of business iu the National Museum, and whether any part of the same is in arrears, 
I have the honor to say that all current work is and always has been kept promptly up 
to date, and that in no department can it be said that the work is iu arrears, although 
to accomplish this result it has been necessary to ask many of the employees to work 
extra hours without compensation. I am speaking, of course, of the routine work of 
the Museum, which corresponds to the ordinary work of the Executive Departments. 

The work of the scientific staff, which is engaged in the development of the Museum 
and in the utilization of its treasures for public instruction and for the advantage of 
educational institutions throughout the country, is not going ahead so rapidly as might 
be desired, owing to the fact that the reduction iu the appropriations in 1893 made it 
necessary to considerably reduce the number of persons employed in this work, and also 
to the interruption caused by preparations for the great Exposition at Chicago. It is 
going forward satisfactorily, however, though much more could be done if it were pos¬ 
sible to employ a larger number of expert assistants. Help of this kind is especially 
needed to carry on more rapidly the separation of the duplicate specimens from the 
collections, and their identification and classification for the purpose of distributing 
them to public institutions in accordance with the authority granted by law, and also 
for purposes of exchange with museums in other countries. 

I am, sir, yours, very respectfully, S. P. Langley 

/Secretary. 

Hon. Alexander M. Dockery, 

Chairman Joint Commission , etc., House ol Representatives. 

H. Eep. 1851-6 


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